PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The 79th Dussehra festival to be organised by the Bannu Biradari will be held at Parade Ground on October 20, with a 181-foot-tall effigy of Ravana set to be the main attraction. Effigies of Kumbhkaran and Meghnad, each measuring 70 feet, will also be burnt during the celebrations. The chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, cabinet minister Khajan Das and Dehradun mayor Saurabh Thapliyal are expected to attend the event, according to the organisers. The Dussehra committee announced the programme at a press conference at Parade Ground on Friday. Committee president Santokh Singh Nagpal said that preparations had been completed and the organisers had coordinated with the police administration on security arrangements.
The Ravana effigy will be around 60 feet taller than last year’s, while Lanka is also being given a grand appearance as part of the celebrations.
The programme will begin with a procession from Gopinath Temple at 1 PM. It will reach Kalika Mata Bhawan, where members of the Kalika Temple Committee and a music troupe will welcome the tableaux. The procession will then pass through Moti Bazaar, Rajpur Road and Astley Hall before reaching Parade Ground at 4:30 PM.
Lanka Dahan is scheduled for 5:30 PM, followed by Ravana Dahan at 6:05 PM. A fireworks display will take place from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. After the celebrations, the procession will return via Darshan Lal Chowk, Clock Tower and Paltan Bazaar before concluding at Kalika Marg.
With a large turnout expected, the committee is arranging special entry gates and coordinating with the police for crowd management and security.
The Bharat Milap procession will be held on October 21, starting from Gopinath Temple at 1 PM. It will pass through Kalika Mandir Marg, Chakrata Road, Connaught Place, Clock Tower and Rajpur Road before reaching Parade Ground. After the worship of the tableaux, it will return via Rajpur Road, Clock Tower, Paltan Bazaar, Kotwali, Dhamawala, Raja Road, Hanuman Chowk and Moti Bazaar, concluding at Kalika Marg.
