Amid the glow of oil lamps and the rhythmic chanting of devotees, BJP MP Anurag Thakur stepped onto the grounds of a Ramleela in Ram Krishna Puram, New Delhi on Tuesday, 20 October 2026 — sharing the stage with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu to celebrate one of Sanatan culture's most enduring traditions.

Thakur described the Ramleela as a tradition that carries 'prabhu Shri Ram ke aadarsho' — the ideals of Lord Ram — from one generation to the next, reinforcing faith and strengthening Sanatan values across society. The event was organised by the Ram Krishna Puram Ramleela Dharmik Samiti, a local religious body that stages the annual dramatic enactment of the Ramayana during the Navratri-Dussehra season.

LG Sandhu, MLA Anil Sharma share the stage

Alongside Thakur, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu was present as a chief guest, lending the occasion an official stamp of significance. Local BJP MLA Anil Sharma also attended, reflecting the constituency-level importance the party attaches to such religious cultural gatherings. Thakur addressed the assembled crowd, sharing his reflections on Lord Ram's life and ideals as the theatrical performance unfolded.

Ramleela as a living cultural institution

The Ramleela is far more than a seasonal performance — it is an open-air oral classroom that has transmitted the Ramayana's moral framework across generations for centuries. Staged in neighbourhoods, parks, and grounds across India every year, the tradition reaches audiences who may never read a Sanskrit verse but who know every scene by heart. RK Puram, one of Delhi's older residential localities, has maintained its own committee-run Ramleela as a community anchor, bringing together residents of diverse backgrounds under a shared cultural canopy.

BJP leaders and Dussehra: a consistent pattern

Thakur's attendance is part of a broader, consistent pattern: BJP MPs and ministers regularly participate in Ramleela performances and Dussehra celebrations during the autumn festive season, using the platform to connect with constituents on themes of heritage, dharma, and national culture. The party has long positioned active participation in Sanatan cultural events as both a civic duty and a form of public outreach — a signal that governance and cultural identity are intertwined. With Dussehra approaching, more such events are expected across Delhi and other states.

As the effigy of Ravana is readied for the annual burning, the message from RK Puram's stage is the one Ramleelas have always delivered — that the ideals of Ram endure, season after season, generation after generation.