📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Gerritgee
Religion
Delhi Ramleela to Burn 30‑Foot Cockroach Puppet, Sparking Debate
✍️ Amar Ujala · Delhi
🗓 17 Oct 2026, 11:35 PM
👁 11
During Delhi’s Ramleela celebrations, a 30‑foot cockroach puppet will be burnt alongside Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakarna, prompting concerns over its suitability for the festival.
Delhi’s annual Ramleela, a dramatized retelling of the Ramayana, traditionally features the burning of large puppets representing key antagonists. This year’s procession will include a 30‑foot cockroach puppet, a novel addition to the lineup.
The puppet is slated to be set ablaze alongside the more familiar figures of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakarna, marking the climax of the performance. The choice of a cockroach—a creature often associated with filth—has drawn attention from spectators and commentators alike.
Several attendees voiced concerns that the depiction might be disrespectful or culturally insensitive, arguing that the festival’s focus should remain on the epic’s moral lessons rather than on grotesque imagery. The debate has sparked broader discussions about the evolving nature of Ramleela presentations.
Organizers have yet to issue a formal statement regarding the puppet’s inclusion or the public’s reaction, and the event is scheduled to take place in the heart of Delhi’s bustling Ramleela grounds.
The puppet is slated to be set ablaze alongside the more familiar figures of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakarna, marking the climax of the performance. The choice of a cockroach—a creature often associated with filth—has drawn attention from spectators and commentators alike.
Several attendees voiced concerns that the depiction might be disrespectful or culturally insensitive, arguing that the festival’s focus should remain on the epic’s moral lessons rather than on grotesque imagery. The debate has sparked broader discussions about the evolving nature of Ramleela presentations.
Organizers have yet to issue a formal statement regarding the puppet’s inclusion or the public’s reaction, and the event is scheduled to take place in the heart of Delhi’s bustling Ramleela grounds.