Ram Leela in Delhi: Where to Watch the Epic Come Alive This Dussehra
From the high flying Luv Kush Ramlila at the Red Fort to the Shri Ram dance drama at Mandi House, here is where to watch Ram Leela in Delhi this Dussehra and how to plan your evening.
Every October, Delhi turns into one large open air theatre. On grounds, parks and colony lanes across the city, committees build tall painted stages, string up lights and act out the Ramayana night after night through Navratri. The run ends on Dussehra, when giant effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad go up in flames to cheers and fireworks.
This year Navratri began on Sunday, 11 October, when several of the biggest Ramlilas opened with Ganesh Pujan, and Dussehra falls on Tuesday, 20 October. If you are in the city this week, here is where to go and how to plan your evening.
Why Delhi's Ramlila matters
Ramlila is the staged retelling of Lord Ram's story, usually drawn from Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas, and UNESCO added the tradition to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008. In Delhi it has deep roots. The Shri Ram Lila Committee, which stages the Ramlila at Ramlila Maidan, says the performances were first held on the sandy Yamuna floodplains behind the Red Fort in the 1800s. The ground now called Ramlila Maidan was a pond until the early 1930s, when it was filled in so the annual show could move there.
Today the city has hundreds of Ramlilas. Some are lavish productions with film and television actors; others are neighbourhood shows where the cast are local volunteers and the audience knows every line.
Luv Kush Ramlila, Red Fort grounds
This is Delhi's biggest spectacle, staged by the Luv Kush Ramlila Committee on Lal Qila Maidan, the grounds facing the Red Fort. The 2026 edition runs from 11 to 21 October, entry is free, and the performances are broadcast live from 7 pm to 11 pm.
The committee has expanded the stage to four levels, with a replica of Madurai's Meenakshi Temple behind it. Two cranes reaching up to 250 feet carry the aerial scenes, including Ram and Ravan facing each other in flying chariots and Hanuman carrying Ram and Lakshman through the air. Television actor Devesh Sharma plays Ram, Kaveri Priyam plays Sita and Pankaj Kamad plays Hanuman, with around 50 artists from Mumbai and about 250 local performers. The effigies burn on 20 October, and a musical programme with devotional songs and a live band follows on 21 October.
Shri Dharmik Leela Committee and Nav Shri Dharmik Leela Committee
A short walk away on the same stretch near the Red Fort, two more committees stage large productions. The Shri Dharmik Leela Committee, which dates back to the 1920s, is one of the city's oldest Ramlilas and regularly draws political leaders on Dussehra. This year it has added laser lights, large screens and AI assisted effects on an LED lit stage with around 80 artists, though the dialogue is still spoken live.
Nearby, the Nav Shri Dharmik Leela Committee has built a four level stage with a giant LED screen and a hydraulic platform for Sita's swayamvar, and it is running an online Ramayana quiz for younger audiences. Both are free. Check the committees' notices for nightly timings and the Dussehra schedule.
Getting there: Lal Qila station on the Violet Line is the closest, and Chandni Chowk on the Yellow Line and Jama Masjid on the Violet Line are also within walking distance. Combine an early evening at Chandni Chowk with a stop at Old Famous Jalebi Wala before the show.
Ramlila Maidan
The ground that gave the tradition its name sits between Old and New Delhi, near Turkman Gate and Delhi Gate, between Asaf Ali Road and Jawaharlal Nehru Marg. The Shri Ram Lila Committee's Ramlila here is one of the oldest in the city, and the ground is also famous for the political rallies and movements it has hosted since the freedom struggle. Its Dussehra evening brings big crowds, fireworks and a large Ravan effigy. The nearest Metro is Delhi Gate on the Violet Line. Timings change from year to year, so check with the committee before you go.
Shri Ram dance drama, Mandi House
For a seated, ticketed version, Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra has staged its dance drama Shri Ram every autumn since it was first performed in 1957. It tells Ram's story from his birth to his coronation in about two and a half hours, blending Bharatanatyam, Kalaripayattu, Mayurbhanj Chhau and North Indian folk forms. For its 69th year, the Kendra has dropped the modern screens and returned to the show's traditional form after nearly 25 years.
Shows run daily at 6.30 pm until 1 November at the open air theatre at 1 Copernicus Marg, so this is the best option if you arrive after Dussehra. Tickets are sold on BookMyShow. The nearest Metro is Mandi House, on the Blue and Violet Lines.
Neighbourhood Ramlilas worth the trip
Dwarka Sector 10: The Dwarka Sri Ramlila Society is known for its giant effigies. Its 15th Ramlila has a stage inspired by the Somnath Temple, a 221 foot Ravan effigy and a fair with swings and rides, which makes it a good family outing. Shows run from 8 pm, and the society lists its Dussehra programme for 8 pm on 20 October. Dwarka Sector 10 station on the Blue Line is the closest.
Punjabi Bagh, Mayur Vihar and many other colonies run their own Ramlilas too, so ask locally if you would rather stay close to your hotel.
Durga Puja in CR Park
The same week, Delhi's Bengali neighbourhoods celebrate Durga Puja. Chittaranjan Park in South Delhi has several large pandals within walking distance of each other, and the puja at the Kali Mandir is one of the best known. Go in the evening for the aarti, the dhunuchi dance and the food stalls.
Tips for Dussehra in Delhi
- Take the Metro. Delhi Traffic Police have restricted buses, heavy and commercial vehicles around the Red Fort from 5 pm to midnight until 21 October, with diversions at Delhi Gate, Chatta Rail and Subhash Marg. East Delhi roads near Akshardham, Mayur Vihar and Shahdara are also congested from 7 pm to 11 pm until 20 October. The traffic helpline is 1095.
- Arrive early on Dussehra. The big grounds fill up hours before the effigies burn, and gates can close once they are full.
- Expect security checks. Carry little, leave large bags at your hotel and keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket.
- Mind the children. Agree on a meeting point, keep young children close in the crowd, and stand well back from the effigies and fireworks.
- Eat at the mela. Most grounds have stalls selling chaat, jalebi, golgappe and toys, so plan dinner there.
- Plan your way back. Exits get crowded after the effigies burn. Wait a little before heading to the Metro, or walk to a station one stop away.
Dussehra beyond Delhi
If you want to see how other parts of the region celebrate, read our guides to Kullu Dussehra, where the festival begins on Vijayadashami, and Dashain in Nepal.
Dates, timings and programmes can change, so check each committee's latest notices before you head out.
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