AGRA
: On a warm Monday afternoon, Ashfaq Khan, 62, and his family members were busy giving finishing touches to the effigies of demon king
Ravana
, his brother Kumbhkaran and son Meghnath. These will be consigned to flames in Aligarh’s Exhibition Ground on Tuesday on the occasion of
Dussehra.
Hailing from
Bulandshahr
, Ashfaq Khan’s family have been creating the effigies of the demon king and his relatives for Dussehra festival for years. The family has been engaged in creating the effigies for the past four generations and this year is the third consecutive time that they have made the effigies in Aligarh.
Saying that he enjoys his work, Ashfaq said being part of a festival that symbolizes the victory of good over evil makes him feel good. He said, “The people who have given me this work know that I’m a Muslim and they don’t have a problem about it as they love our work.”
He told TOI that his family has made effigies in several cities, including Delhi, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Agra and Mathura. For the past three years, the family has been coming to Aligarh. At present a 17-member team, including seven from his family, are busy making effigies of the demon kings.
Ashfaq’s elder brother, Suleman Khan, 76, who has also came to give a hand in making the effigies, said the 70-foot tall Ravana effigy is unique this time. He said, “This time, Ravana’s neck will rotate in bid to make it appear alive. The Ravana will also initially smile and then cry.”
Around 100 different types of crackers have been used to stuff the effigies to ensure a breathtaking spectacle of fireworks as they go up in flames.
Khan came to Aligarh with his family members a month ago and they all will go back home on Wednesday after celebrating Dussehra. He said when they are not making effigies, they organize fireworks at wedding parties and other functions. He said each one of them earns about Rs 600 a day.
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