Dasehra celebrations to remain low key in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 11

Dasehra celebrations in the city are likely to remain subdued this year as several committees have decided not to burn the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad in absence of the permission from the UT Administration.

With just four days to go for the festival, the UT Administration is yet to grant permission to various committees involved in organising the event. Dasehra will be celebrated across the country on October 15.

Tejinder Chauhan from Ramleela Club, Barara, in Ambala, who had erected the world’s tallest Ravana effigy at Dhanas in 2019, is yet to get a go ahead from the Administration. “Only four days are left for the event. We have not got anything in written till now. We have been called to the DC office tomorrow… it is impossible to make all the arrangements in uncertainty. I am thus building a 100-ft Ravana effigy at Barara this time,” said Chauhan. Chauhan could not organise the event last year due to Covid-19. Like Chauhan, Navyug Ramlila Committee, Sector 7, will also not burn the effigies this time.

“It takes at least a month or two to build the effigies. We got the permission very late. Due to the Administration’s delaying tactics, we will not be able to hold the religious event which is very dear to us. They must respect our sentiments,” lamented Pardeep Kumar, director, Navyug Ramlila Committee.

Sector 46 Dasehra Committee, which organises one of the Dasehra events in the city, is also in a fix.

“We have told the makers in Moga to build the effigies, but only four days are left and we are yet to get the permission,” said Jatinder Bhatia, chief patron of the committee. “If we do not get the permission from the Administration, we will ask the makers to stop the work and give them some money,” said Bhatia. These decisions need to be taken in advance so that there is no wastage of time and resources. They should also value our feelings,” he added.

Bhagwati Prashad Gaur, chief patron of the Chandigarh Kendriya Ramlila Mahasabha, however, said: “About 30 committees had applied for the permission to burn the effigies. All have got the permission.”

Covid effigy

Four demon effigies, including that of Covid-19, will be burnt during the Dasehra celebrations at the Parade Ground in Sector 17. “Apart from the 71 ft Ravana and 60 ft Kumbhakarna and Meghnad effigies, we will also burn a 10 ft effigy of Covid-19 to give a message that we have to kill the coronavirus,” said Sunil Kumar Sharma, senior assistant director of the Ramlila at Parade Ground, Sector 17.