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Kids' leela to the fore
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Kids barely out of their diapers stole the show at the Ram Leela they performed in their innocent ways in Delhi this past week, reports RANA A. SIDDIQUI.
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THEY CAN barely speak. For they are just two to four year old kids. Yet they performed Ram Leela this past week in Delhi guided by Macademica Soft Corner. Gruelling one-and half hours of play, which began from the birth of Ram to his return to Ayodhya after 14 years of `vanvaas', had innocent souls literally on their feet.
The play begins with tiny tots proclaiming in traditional style with dholak and nagada that four sons are born to the king Dasrath. Their words broken, interrupted with hopping onstage induce a belly laugh. The little-ones are dressed in the best of their costumes— of queen, king, princes with a crown adding to their gorgeous looks.
Be it Kaushalaya's confidence, Ram's serenity, Hanuman's vagary or Ravana's rehearsed anger, children perform them with great poise.
Before Sita weds Ram, there is a beeline of princes - some twirling moustaches, some thundering thighs and some displaying their muscles. A prince is caught picking nose while Sita on one occasion does not realise that she had lifted her `ghagra' a little too up her knee! She weds Ram and circles around the fire holding him from his shoulder from the back!
What makes the audience giggle is Hanuman's swinging of his waist while introducing himself and his Vanar Sena who get a rare chance to hop.
Hanuman locates Sita but is surrounded by demons. He throws fruits at them that induces sleep into them. But one demon refuses to sleep. He forgets his act and keeps eating fruit. The director instructs him to fall down. He does— still eating fruit!
A young prince spots her mother out in the audience and shouts - `Mummy... '!
It is the fight between vanar sena and daemons. The former wins. Lot of flower shower on stage. One dead demon starts playing with flowers with his sword. He won't listen to any director's instructions.
It is the triumph of good over evil, Ram is back to Ayodhya and the occasion is celebrated. All tiny souls gather on stage like little flower in garden. Some sing, some hop, some cautious of their acts and some just waving to their parents among the audience. They steal the show.
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