Today, across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka huge and colourful effigies of the ten-headed Ravana will be burnt. But days of work goes into making them at the first place. Who are these people working tirelessly to make these effigies that centuries now have come to symbolise everything evil.
On Dussehra People all over the country set aflame giant effigies of the King of ancient Sri Lanka Ravana along with his son Meghnad and brother Khumbhakarana.
Residents of Titarpur, a locality in West Delhi, are busy with making effigies of Ravana, Khubhakarana and Meghnad which will be sold throughout India and abroad. Sanjay, one of the effigy makers said, “I was invited to Canada to make effigies but due to some paper work I couldn’t go but I am making effigies here to be delivered in Canada, Australia and America via ship.”
The process of Ravana-effigy making is an art. There is no picture or painting of Ravana available but since he is considered as a devil, the artists make effigies in devil form having a giant laughing face and curly mustache.
Here’s a peep into the life of the Ravana makers.
Text and photos by Javed Sultan
