Ravan’s effigy gets a Corona jab, burns to the ground

In Bhopal, an injection-like arrow hit the effigies of Ravan and Kumbhkaran at TT Nagar Dussehra Maidan on Friday. Afterward, the effigies went up in smoke amid chants of Jai Shri Ram and the sound of firecrackers, denoting the destruction of all evil. Making such an arrow had the purpose of sending a message to society that getting jabbed is the only way to ward off Covid 19, the demon of the modern age!

There were places where effigies had visors covering their faces, as the only protection against Coronasur or the virus. The nine-day festival of Navratri came to an end with the burning of the effigies of the demons. Similarly, evil spirits’ effigies were burned in Chhola Maidan, BHEL ground, Kolar Ground and Bittan Market Ground.  The majority of Ravan Dahan committees have followed the guidelines for Corona protection.

Visitors were required to sanitize their hands at the gates of the parks where the effigies were to be burned. Masks were also distributed. The burning was done as per the norm but modernizing it as to Lord Rama entering the venue, where the effigies were readied and shot an arrow at them! In many areas, children made effigies of Ravan, which they burned in the evening. The effigies of the demons were burnt while the idols of Durga were immersed at Prempura, Khatlapura, Kamalapati, Bairagarh and other Ghats.

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As the afternoon drew near, hundreds of people gathered at the Ghats to see the immersions and in all the parks or grounds where the burning of the demon Ravan were being done. Since morning, the members of the Durga Puja committees have been taking idols from Pandals by procession. They danced to the tune of devotional songs till they reached the Ghats. At the Ghats and at the Dussehra Maidans, special security arrangements were made. During the procession, they chanted: Durga Mai ki Jai and Jai Mata Di. The crescent moon of Dashami, the tenth day of the new moon, was visible late in the evening. The drumbeats faded into the silence of midnight.