A 45-year-old man died after having a heart attack while performing as Lord Rama at a Ramleela event in Vishwakarma Nagar, Shahdara, Delhi. Police said that he was taken to the hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The man, identified as Sushil Kaushik, was a property dealer by profession and participated in Ramleela events out of passion. A viral video on social media shows him clutching his chest in pain as he rushes behind the stage.
Earlier in January, a similar incident occurred in Haryana’s Bhiwani, where a 62-year-old man playing Lord Hanuman also died during a Ramleela performance.
During the Navratri festival season, Delhi is set to host over 1,000 Ramleela events and numerous Durga Puja pandals, with high public participation and significant revenue generation for businesses. Tent houses and decoration companies are expected to experience a surge in demand due to large-scale fairs and festival-related activities.
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Delhi’s celebrations also feature themes related to the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Sri Ram Lila Society has erected India’s tallest Ravan effigy, standing at 211 feet, in Dwarka’s Sector 10.
“As sin is increasing in society, this effigy represents those growing sins, and we will burn them all on Dussehra, October 12, 2024. We have invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the event and are hopeful for a positive response. Invitations have also been sent to other BJP leaders,” said Rajesh Gehlot, Chairman of the organising committee.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) estimates the festive season will generate over ₹50,000 crore in business nationwide, with Delhi contributing more than ₹8,000 crore, offering a boost to local traders.
Praveen Khandelwal, CAIT Secretary General, mentioned that this year’s festive shopping will largely feature Indian-made products, as interest in Chinese goods continues to decline.
(With inputs from PTI)
