Raipur celebrates Dushhera with zest

Giving way to over a month-long hectic preparation for Ravan’s effigy and the cultural programmes preceding it, Raipurites celebrated the triumph of good over evil on Dushhera at various locations across the city. Among those celebrating, children were the most excited about the burning of the effigy. And it’s not just the demon king that was burnt down after an arrow was fired.Accompanying the 10-headed demon were his evil accomplices, his son Meghnad and his brother Kumbhkaran. The gala celebration of Dusshera in the city included celebrity singers, fire shows by international artists and spectacular fireworks with striking and colourful lights.
Colours of happiness
Continuing the age-old tradition of flying kites on Dushera, many people enjoyed flying bright colourful kites before the Ravan dahan. Vividly coloured and fancy kites were splashed across the sky in festive spirit in the areas of Sadar Bazar, Malviya Nagar and Kankalipara.
People also gathered at Sapre School ground for flying kites along with their families. The most innovative and interesting kites were those made of clothes and the ones with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture on them.
Firecrackers and LED show
The real fun of Ravan dahan began when the firecrackers packed in Ravan’s effigy went up in flames. With hundreds of small crackers stuffed in the torso, rockets on his fingers, sparklers in hand and sky shots in the head, it was a spectacular view for children and youngsters alike as Ravana exploded dramatically into flames. Adding more to the view, was a 15-minute LED and laser show depicting a part of Ramayana.
Cultural programmes
The crane fire show by a troop from Delhi won the hearts of Raipurites this year. Moreover, Russian dance and cold fire show added a lot to their excitement. The audience swayed to the music as the artists performed on the stage. The fun doubled when some reality show singers charmed the crowd with their melodious voice. Religious songs followed by Bollywood hits made the environment cheerful and lively.
101 feet Ravan
Mythical demon king Ravan, of awe-inspiring proportions with an imposing 10-storey height towered over the crowd in WRS colony. The 101- feet tall Ravan, the tallest one in the city, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran of 85 feet height became a major attraction for people in the city. Around 50,000 people gathered at the venue to become a part of the grand celebration. Ajeet Parmar, an engineer by profession, shared, “Every year we come here to see Ravan dahan. But the 101-feet tall Ravan mesmerized us this time. It was a stunning spectacle when it went up in flames.”
The effigy of Ravan was prepared in a course of few months using multiple iron bars, hundreds of bamboo sticks, fibre sheets and kilos of adhesives. And finally, it was mounted on the ground using a crane. The organizers felt that the effort was worth it as it was successful in drawing the major population of the city.