With Dussehra slated on Saturday, the Dussehra committee members and artists were busy giving things a final shape on Friday. The principal programme in the city would be held at Parade Ground in which thousands of people are expected to witness the torching of the evil.
Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat would be present as the chief guest while a host of MlAs — Harbans Kapoor, Vinod Chamoli, Ganesh Joshi, Khajan Das and Umesh Sharma Kau — would be there as special guests. The effigies of Ravana, the demon king, Kumbhkarna and Meghnad would be torched on the occasion to mark the evil being vanquished by the forces of righteousness. To mark Dussehra, religious processions would also be taken out. The main one would start from Kalika Temple and pass through several places like Paltan Bazaar, Moti Bazaar and Rajpur Road. It would finally end at Parade Ground.
Meanwhile, Dehradun District Magistrate SA Murugeshan, Senior Superintendent of Police Nivedita Kukreti and SP City PK Rai aside from other senior administrative and police officers inspected the ground and reviewed preparations for Dussehra on Friday.
Kukreti directed the Dussehra Committee (Bannu Biradari) members to install barricades around the venue as a part of strengthening security as around 12,000 people are expected to attend the programme. Small fairs would also be held at the ground where large footfalls are expected. She said that additional police forces would be deployed at the venue and proper checking of the visitors would be held.
She further said that elaborate security arrangements have been put in place in view of the celebration across the city. “Anti-sabotage checking would be held at the programme venue. The people on reaching the venue would be throughly checked. In view of the religious processions and burning of effigies of the demons, traffic plan has been made with route diversions being effected to keep traffic movement smooth on the roads during the programme in the city,” she added.
The Pioneer while visiting Parade Ground on Friday saw artists and others engaged in making a replica of lanka which would have three floors modeled in the shape of a fort. Electricians were also found busy iluminating the venue.
A committee member Santokh Singh Nagpal said that the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad would be lit on the occasion of Vijaydashmi on Saturday. A team of 33 artisans led by Manoj from Delhi have designed the effigies of the trio, said Nagpal, adding that the effigy-making of Ravana would cost a little over Rs 1.5 lakh while Rs 90,000 for Kumbhakarna and Meghnad. Firecrackers worth around Rs 1 lakh would be used to light the three effigies, he informed.
The torching of the effigies of the demon trio at the hands of lord Rama, embodying the forces of the righteousness, symbolises the victory of good over evil as depicted in the epic Ramayana.
Nagpal further said that the effigies of the trio would be lighted at 6.05 pm, adding that they are trying their best to lend the symbolic
lanka Dhahan as much novelty as possible.
“After burning the effigies of Meghnad, Kumbhkarna and Ravana, we would have special fireworks going for an hour," he said, adding that the programme on Bharat Milap would follow the fire cracker show.
