Almora. The second day of the historic cultural event organized by Shri Bhuvneshwar Mahadev Temple and Ramleela Committee, Karnataka Khola, concluded on Tuesday in a highly devotional and festive atmosphere. On this occasion, several important episodes from the Ramayana were staged, including the arrival of Sage Vishwamitra in Ayodhya, the dialogue between King Dasharath and Vishwamitra, the slaying of Tadaka and Subahu, the redemption of Ahalya, and the sacred Gauri Poojan — all of which emerged as major highlights.
The event was inaugurated by Municipal Mayor Ajay Verma, who attended as the Chief Guest. Lighting the ceremonial lamp, he encouraged the performers and praised the committee’s cultural efforts. Committee patron Bittu Karnataka welcomed the chief guest and expressed gratitude on behalf of the organizers.
The evening began with the scene of Vishwamitra’s arrival in Ayodhya, where he requested King Dasharath to send Ram and Lakshman to free the sages from the atrocities of demons. This was followed by the dramatic Tadaka episode, in which young Ram’s heroic slaying of Tadaka enthralled the audience. The slaying of Subahu and the defeat of Marich also captivated the spectators.
The most emotional moment came during the Ahalya redemption episode, where Ram’s divine touch liberated Ahalya from her curse, moving the audience to tears. The Gauri Poojan sequence that followed created a serene spiritual ambiance in the venue.
The artists impressed the gathering with their powerful dialogue delivery and heartfelt performances, giving the audience the feeling of witnessing Treta Yuga itself. Through these scenes, messages of dharma, truth, and righteousness were conveyed to the people.
The committee informed that different episodes of the Ramayana will be presented every evening, with active participation from elders, women, and youth of the town. The program was skillfully anchored by Bhavana Malhotra.
Chief Guest Ajay Verma said that the Ramleela of Karnataka Khola is a cultural heritage of Almora that has been imparting values of religion, morality, and tradition for generations. He praised the committee’s efforts, calling the event a symbol of social unity and cultural identity of the town.
A large number of devotees from Almora and nearby areas attended the second day’s Ramleela. The audience applauded enthusiastically, boosting the morale of the performers with repeated rounds of claps.
Artists who won hearts with their remarkable performances included Rashmi Kandpal as Ram, Komal Joshi as Lakshman, Vaishnavi Pawar as Sita, Chiranjeevi Lal Verma as Dasharath, Himanshi Adhikari as Tadaka, Payal Kandpal and Nisha Kandpal as Tadaka’s powers, Amar Bora as Subahu, Abhishek Tiwari as Marich, Geetanjali Pandey as Ahalya, and Pratyaksha Malhotra as Gauri. Their graceful acting and dialogue delivery left the audience spellbound.
Founder and convenor Bittu Karnataka received wide appreciation for staging such a well-organized Ramleela. Viewers watching online from India and abroad also sent their messages, showering praise on the performances.
Among the prominent attendees were Mohan Chandra Kandpal, Dinesh Chandra Tiwari, Bhuvan Chandra Karnataka, Leeladhar Kandpal, Puran Chandra Tiwari, M.D. Kandpal, Jagdish Chandra Tiwari, Mahesh Karnataka, Dayakishan Joshi, Badri Prasad Karnataka, Ramesh Chandra Joshi, Kamlesh Karnataka, Yogesh Joshi, Gaurav Kandpal, Ashok Bankoti, Dinesh Mathpal, Nandan Bagdwal, Bhuvan Pandey, Hem Joshi, Devendra Goswami, Kaushal Pandey, Ashu Rautela, Dr. Vidya Karnataka, Asha Mehta, Kavita Pandey, Kanchan Pandey, Rekha Joshi, Seema Karnataka, Sunita Bagdwal, among hundreds of devotees.
The program concluded with a vote of thanks by the committee, along with the announcement of upcoming episodes that townspeople are eagerly waiting to witness.
