NEW DELHI: Preparations for Dussehra in the capital have entered the final stretch, with Ramlila committees giving a unique twist to the age-old tradition of Ravana Dahan.
This year, effigies towering between 40 and 200 feet are being readied, and several committees are experimenting with themes drawn from nationalism and cinema.
One of the highlights of this Vijayadashami will be a symbolic reference to Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army’s recent strike in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
At the Kamdhenu Ramlila Committee in West Vinod Nagar, Ravana’s effigy will be based on the theme of terrorism.
“We are constructing a 60-foot Ravana, a 55-foot Meghnad and a 50-foot Kumbhakarna. The idea is to show that evil in any form, whether mythological or modern-day terrorism, will be destroyed,” said committee chairman Kuldeep Bhandari.
A touch of Operation Sindoor will also be visible at the Dwarka Shri Ramleela Society, where Ravana will be slain with a replica of the BrahMos missile instead of a traditional arrow. Organisers said that in keeping with the city’s firecracker ban, only green firecrackers and laser lights will be used to enhance the spectacle.
Themes borrowed from popular cinema are also finding their way into the festival. The Nav Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee in Rohini has built a 200-foot effigy inspired by the blockbuster Bahubali.
“Remote sensors are being installed, and the effigy will be set ablaze at the press of a button,” said committee chairman Pushpendra Rastogi.
The Adarsh Ramlila Committee in Ashok Vihar Phase 2 has opted for a more traditional approach but with digital additions. Meanwhile, the city’s largest celebrations remain at the Red Fort grounds. The Luvkush Ramlila Committee is preparing effigies of 100 feet for Ravana.