Ravana to wear pants, shoes this Dusshera

Jaipur, Oct 7: Ten-headed mythological demon king Ravana is set to appear in contemporary attire this year to be burnt down among crackling fireworks on

later this month in the city.

Ahead of the festival, the making of Ravana effigies is in full swing and deft fingers of artisans are giving shape to bulging eyes, curly moustache and broad lips of the demon king at the famous Ravan mandi on Gopalpura bypass.

Over 300 members of 160 families of Jogi samaj are engaged in the annual effigy making work here for the last one month. Jagdish Jogi, an effigy maker, told PTI, "Ravana this year will be with different looks, with pants and shoes, and with a slightly different standing posture. We have modified the designs of the effigies to make it different.

"For many years, we were shaping the effigies in cylindrical pattern but this year, most of the Ravana effigies will have legs with shoes in the base and it will stand on its legs. His facial expressions will also have something different but that will be finalised later," he said.

According to Jogi, who is also associated with nomad tribe wing of PCC, 12,000 to 15,000 effigies of all sizes are made every year in the Ravan hub and also sent to Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Hanumangarh and other locations on order. He said most of the business comes in the last-two three days of Dusshehra which is falling on October 24 this year.

Rates of the effigies vary from Rs 25 (1.5 feet) to 80,000 (90 feet). Demand remains high for effigies of five to 30 feet, he said. In the Ravana making work, petty shopkeepers and part time workers are also engaged and several workers from Gujarat have also camped in the area to assist the local workers in the designing of the effigies.

The Ravana making work is also underway in Panipech, Gujjar ki Thadi, Mansarovar and after the work is over, the decorated effigies will be available for sale on roadsides across the city.

PTI