Persistent rainfall hampers Dussehra effigy preparation at Dehradun Parade Ground
MANSI BHAMBRI | Dehradun
The incessant rainfall in Dehradun has posed a challenge for the teams engaged in making the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad at the Parade Ground this year. The Banu Biradari Dussehra Committee had invited these teams, one from Agra and another from Haryana, as part of their annual preparations to celebrate Dussehra. Despite the committee’s efforts to prepare the effigies, the ongoing rains are hindering the teams’ progress, making it difficult to complete the work on time.
Commenting about this, the team leader from Agra, Ayaan Quershi, who came here to make the Ravana effigy, has voiced concerns regarding the difficulties they are encountering this year due to continuous rainfall. He said that his father is the chief craftsman and he has an experience of more than 15 years in construction of these effigies and they have been visiting Dehradun for the past two years for this work.
This year, however, the weather has created significant challenges in completing both the effigy of Ravana and his Lanka on schedule. Although he recently began the crafting process, in previous years they typically finished the effigies within four days; this year, six to seven days will be taken to complete the effigies of Ravana and Lanka.
The ongoing and consistent rain is the primary factor hindering their ability to cover the partially completed effigies for protection, and even the welding process has become difficult due to the weather conditions. He said that this year’s heavy rainfall has posed a challenge for them to construct the effigy on time. He emphasised that this difficulty, along with some materials being damaged due to the rain, could impact their profits this year.
Additionally, the team leader from Haryana working on Kumbhkaran and Meghnad effigies, Manish Kumar, voiced similar concerns regarding the delay in the creation of these effigies this year. He said that he has been involved in crafting these effigies in Dehradun for the past ten years and has not experienced such a severe monsoon in the past.
Kumar also said that he and his team are creating the effigies at a place which is partially covered by a tarpaulin shelter, however the effigies still require sunlight for drying certain materials, including paint and other related items and which has become a challenge for them to dry in rainfall.
He said that compared to the previous year, they completed the effigies in three days, but this year it has taken six to seven days, with an expectation of two to three additional days to finish the process. He said that whenever it rains, they transport the effigies to a shelter (Pandal), which poses a challenge, as their focus shifts from completing the effigies on time to merely protecting them from the rain.
Notably, this year, the tallest effigy of Ravana, measuring 111 feet, will be burned at the Parade Ground during the event. Additionally, the effigies of Kumbhkaran and Meghnath will be 75 and 70 feet tall, respectively.
