In Ludhiana’s Jagraon, a Covid effigy on Dussehra, to trounce the pandemic

Along with a 45-foot-tall Ravana effigy, expected to be among the tallest in the district this year, Shri Vaishno Dramatic Club, Jagraon, will also burn an effigy of Covid-19 on Sunday.

Traditionally, three effigies – those of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghnad – are burnt on Dussehra. At Agwar Dala area, Jagraon, these will be accompanied by an effigy of Covid-19 with the hope of defeating the pandemic.

“The world is facing a crisis due the pandemic and we believe Lord Rama will help kill the ‘coronavirus demon’ like he killed demon king Ravana. Permissions have already been taken from the administration to burn four effigies in Jagraon,” said club president and former councillor Ravinder Kumar Sabharwal.

He said while the Ravana effigy will be 45-foot-tall, the other three will measure 15 feet. Normally, Ravana’s effigy here used to be over 80 feet tall, but the height has been reduced due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Still, at 45 feet, the effigy in Jagraon is expected to be the tallest as the Shri Ram Lila Committee (Daresi), which used to erect over 90-foot-tall Ravana every year, has reduced its height to 30 feet this year. The height of the effigy being erected in Upkar Nagar has also been reduced from 65 to 15 feet.

Club’s vice-president Sajan Malhotra said, “Ramlila was organised by the club for the past seven days with the administration’s approval. A ‘shobha yatra’ will be organised on Sunday. We have arranged 5,000 face masks and volunteers will ensure social distancing.”