A hub for effigy-makers, Tatarpur area in Tagore Garden currently looks like an open art gallery with hundreds of brightly coloured, hand-crafted effigies of Ravana, Meghnaad and Kumbhkarana lined up on the pavements
Brightly coloured effigies, of varying heights, are available in West Delhi
Cinema-inspired one-liners like Ravan jhukega nahi and phrases like Don No 1 have found their way onto Ravan's iconic imperial moustache
Effigy makers in Gurgaon sector 14 are now giving final touches to their Ravanas
Little effigies, as small as two feet, are a rage this year. "Hum chhote putle har saal banate hain, ye chhote bachchon ke khelne ke liye hain. Kam se kam iss gaon ke 100 ghar aise chhote putle bana rhe hain," says Anand, who along with other families made over 10,000 such Ravans in three months. The smallest effigy is priced at Rs 250
The alleys of Tagore Garden metro station turns into a open art gallery for two months with artisans creating hundreds of brightly coloured effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakarana
From two to 50 feet tall, effigies for all heights are available between Tagore Garden metro station and Subhash Nagar metro station. The bigger ones - usually burnt at parks and maidans - are sold at Rs 500 - Rs 1,000 a foot
Ravana's menacing expressions
Making of the effigy The bamboo skeleton of the effigy's face is covered with old packaging paper.
Glimpses of Ravan Wale Baba village (Tagore Garden)
The body's bamboo skeleton is covered with old cotton fabrics, then with packaging sheets and finally layered with colourful florescent sheets. The back portion of the effigy is painted with carbon black, which is highly flammable. The glue used in the process is made by boiling arrowroot powder
Ravana effigies being sold for Delhi Ramlila maidans cost 1000/per foot
Pics: Lokesh Kashyap
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