Clashes during Dussehra fest, leaves out an un-burnt Ravana effigy in Almora

The members of two committees clashed during the Dussehra festival which resulted in not burning the effigy of Ravana. The effigy committee took the effigy back to the place where it was made without burning it.

Almora (Uttarakhand): Ravana's effigy was left unburnt in the cultural city of Almora amidst a dispute between two committees. Because of this, the committee that made the effigy of Ravana did not burn it and made several allegations against the Dussehra Festival Committee. The effigy was brought back and erected near the Nanda Devi temple.

Official sources said, on the day of Dussehra, there was a dispute between the two committees over some issue. The dispute happened when a youth misbehaved with Dhananjay, a resident of Nanda Devi of the Ravana effigy committee. Dhananjay told that a young man first caught his hand, then he tore his shirt. He said that he shared this information with the Dussehra Mahotsav Committee.

The Ravana effigy Committee alleged that the Dussehra Mahotsav Committee did not take any action on this. After this, the effigy of Ravana was stopped in protest in Chowk Bazar. Following this, the chariot of Ram was also stopped. However, somehow, the effigy of Ravana was taken to the market.

The dispute between the Dussehra committee and the Ravana effigy (Nandadevi) committee erupted again. The controversy grew so much that the committee that made the effigy of Ravana refused to burn it in the stadium. They took the effigy back to Nanda Devi temple, where it was made, without burning it.

Ajit Karki, chairman of the Dussehra committee said that a lot of effort was made to pacify the dispute between the two committees, but even after that, the effigy of Ravana could not be burnt. Such people will be banned from next year for making effigies.'

Dussehra of Almora is famous for making more than 2 dozen giant effigies of the Ravana family. According to senior theater artist Naveen Bisht, 'Ramlila was first organized in Badreshwar temple in Almora. Earlier, only the effigy of Ravana was made, but later the number of effigies of the Ravana family increased. Today that number is more than two dozen.'

Talking about this incident, Naveen Bisht said, "this has never happened in the history of more than 150 years. This is a disgrace to tradition."