Chandigarh/Mohali: In collaboration with the Punjab Government, the religious play 'Humare Ram' is set to be staged across 12 cities in the state. The series of performances will begin on August 7, with the inaugural show taking place at Amity University in Mohali. A total of 41 shows will be organized statewide under this initiative.

Cities Hosting the Play The play will be staged in the following cities:

• Mohali

• Bathinda

• Ferozepur

• Hoshiarpur

• Gurdaspur

• Jalandhar

• Pathankot

• Amritsar

• Patiala

• Khanna

• Ludhiana

• Sangrur

Free Entry for the Public To make the play accessible to everyone, free passes will be provided to the audience. These passes can be booked online via BookMyShow or through the Sanatan Sewa Samiti.

65% Audience Comprises Youth Deepak Bali, Chairman of the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board, shared that there is massive demand for this show, and the government secured the dates with great difficulty. The opening shows will be held in Mohali for the first two days.

• The best auditoriums across the state have been selected for the performances.

• The play will feature all the Kands (chapters) of the Ramayana.

• Notably, around 65% of the audience attending this play consists of the youth.

Political Significance: Focus on 22 to 45 Decisive Seats Political analysts view this move as the Punjab Government's strategy to consolidate the urban and Hindu vote bank. To achieve this, the government is organizing several religious events, including 'Ek Naam Bhole Ke Naam', Hanuman Chalisa Path, and now the staging of 'Humare Ram'.

According to NRI journalist Jagdeep, an expert on state politics, the Hindu electorate plays a decisive role in about 22 to 45 out of the 117 assembly seats in Punjab. Hindus constitute approximately 38.5% of the state's population, making them the second-largest religious and political group in Punjab after Sikhs (who make up about 58%).