Triumph of Godliness

Every year,overcoming financial issues,the Priyadarshini Mitra Mandal,Khadki,makes effigiesof Ravana for Dussehra celebrations.

Until a day prior to Dussehra,lane opposite Khadki Post Office looked deserted. But ever since Ghatasthapana,the Priyadarshini Mitra Mandal at General Kariyappa Marg,Khadki,has been working on completing the 45-ft tall effigy of Ravana. We start building Ravanas framework only on the day of Ghatasthapana, says Prakash Pardeshi,president of the mandal. The huge statue is made with an external framework of hay and bamboo. Crackers are inserted inside the structure. The mandal also makes similar statues for Sangvi,Wadgaon Sheri and Pimpri-Chinchwad,where Dussehra is celebrated. We are one of the few mandals to be celebrating Dussehra since 1975. Due to security issues and lack of enough finance,it has become difficult these days, adds Chhagan Gaikwad,advisor of the mandal.

Ram and Laxman arrive in a chariot,accompanied by the beats of dhol-tasha,from the Khadki Ram Mandir. They are joined by Hanuman and then the trio shoot an arrow at the Ravana statue to light the crackers inside, says Vishal Gaikwad who will play Hanuman this year.

The mandal is watchful about the kind of fireworks used. The recent increase in terrorism has made our representatives keep an eye on the fire crackers, says cashier Naseer Shaikh. As the land is under the surveillance of the Ministry of Defense,we are very strict about safety, adds Pardeshi. The representatives of the mandal assure several security checks on the day of Dussehra.

The issues of finance are also well dealt with by the mandal. We try contributing ourselves instead of the asking for donations from residents, says Pardeshi. The rest of the money comes from the amount we get for making Ravana statues, adds Shaikh.

Kamlakhar Sattur,a tailor from Shivajinagar,stitches the statue’s red attire every year. Despite the huge size,Ravanas kurta pyajama,which requires 100 metres of cloth,is less time consuming than stitching a woman’s dress, Sattur says with a grin. Ravana also dons mojris on the day of Dussehra. Toni Arakswami paints the angry ten-headed demon for the mandal. The curves in the eye brows and the frowns on the faces give the statues the typical Ravana look, he says.

Six years back,a 65-ft Ravana was made by the mandal but since last year they are limiting themselves to the 45-ft statue. It was difficult to maintain the balance of a figure which was as tall as a four-storied building, adds Sattur. The entire layout is planned by artist Vijay Satpal on a graph paper and the mammoth framework shapes follow.

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Dussehra