In these times of communal hatred that fills up our minds, here is a story from Times Of India. A group of Muslims has been playing Ramlila in Lucknow, right from 1972 and it is still going on. Here Rama, Ravana and Lakshman are all played by Muslims.
Masood Ahmad took over as manager of the BKT Ramlila Samiti from his father Muzaffar Hussain, who floated the outfit and also the concept of a mixed cast along with a Hindu friend in 1972. The move generated much curiosity and even a whisper campaign initially. But things have gradually settled down.
The casting coup of the year, says Ahmad, is the new Lord Rama — gawky 15-year-old Mohammad Sher Khan from BKT Higher Secondary School.
Khan, who’d been playing Bharat and Shatrughan for three years, is exultant about his elevation to lead status. ‘‘I have read Ramcharitmanas several times and particularly liked the ‘kirdar’ of Rama,” he declaims grandly.
And the 75 year old Maqbool Ahmed asks us a valid question – Why always the poor, not the rich?
One more story from Orissa, where a Muslim family has been organizing Durga Pooja every year.
Happy Dussehra, everyone.
