Nirmal Kumar Rajput/Mathura: A Muslim family in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh has been making effigies of Ravana’s family for five generations. After two months of hard work, this family prepares the effigies of Ravana, Ahiravan, Meghnath and Sulochana. The family becomes disheartened after seeing these effigies being burnt on the day of Dussehra.
Let us tell you that Chhote Lal Khan has been making effigies of Ravana’s family for 70 years. Ravana’s family has been making effigies for five generations. On the day of Dussehra, people feel sad by burning the effigies of Ravana’s family.
two months of hard work
An artisan named Shahid told Local 18 that his family has done this work for the last five generations. His father Chhote Lal Khan taught him to make effigies of Ravana. Now Shahid and his team together with 10 people make effigies. The effigy of Ravana is 75 feet high and other effigies are smaller than that. Bamboo, paper and other materials are used to make the effigies.
Making and burning of effigies
Shahid told that it costs about one lakh rupees to make the effigies. Effigies are made for different areas of Mathura like Sadar Bazaar, Krishna Nagar, Radha Puram Estate, Gokul, Mahavan and Govind Nagar Ram Leela Maidan. Shahid and his team get disheartened to see these effigies being burnt on the day of Dussehra, because they had prepared them with great effort.
Dussehra of Almora is famous in the country and abroad! Effigy of Ravana has been being made since 1902.
respect for ancestral work
Shahid told that his father Chhotalal Khan taught him this work and now he is carrying forward his ancestral work. His father assigns different tasks to everyone and everyone performs their work very well. Some tie bamboo strips and some stick paper on them. Ramlila is organized at Mahavidya Maidan in Mathura and effigies of Ravana’s family are made by Muslim families.
Tags: Local18, Mathura news, Special Project, Uttarpradesh news
FIRST PUBLISHED: October 9, 2024, 14:19 IST