Once again, the forces of good will triumph over evil as effigies of Ravana were set ablaze at 25 different locations across the city. This grand spectacle is accompanied by a dazzling display of fireworks as the sun sets on Tuesday.
The larger-than-life effigies of Ravana, Meghnad, and Kumbhakarna proudly stand tall at the Dussehra Ground in Sector 46 of Chandigarh. Adding to the grandeur of this year’s celebration, towering effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran, and Meghnad have been erected, reaching heights of 60 to 70 feet in Sector 46 and Sector 34, while at other locations, the effigies are below 60 feet in height.
The festivities in Sector 46 are set to commence around 4 p.m., with Chandigarh’s Director General of Police, Parveer Ranjan, as the chief guest. In other locations, the celebrations will take place from 4 pm to 6 pm.
Residents and visitors can witness this spectacular event at various venues, including the Ramlila Ground in Sector 27, Sabji Mandi in Sector 29, Dussehra Ground in Sector 29, Masjid Ground in Phase 2 Ramdarbar, near Valmiki Mandir in Sector 24, Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Sector 22, Dhanas, Panjab University, Milk Colony in Dhanas, Sai Baba Mandir in Khudda Lohara, and the Market Ground in Sector 15.
Effigy burning was also scheduled at other sites across the city, including EWS Flats in Sector 26, Mandi Ground near Ramdarbar, Arya Samaj Mandir in Sector 7, CPWD in Sector 7, Sabji Mandi Ramdarbar, Subhash Nagar in Manimajra, Sabji Mandi Ramdarbar in Phase 2, RBI Colony in Sector 30, Shani Mandir in Manimajra, and Nanaksar Gurudwara in Sector 28.
In Mohali, an 80-ft high Ravana, alongside the effigies of Kumbhakaran and Meghnad, burnt at the Sector 77 ground, carrying a message of drug eradication. Mohali Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain was the chief guest at this event.
Anurag Aggarwal, the general secretary of the committee, explained that Dussehra is usually celebrated at Phase 8. However, due to the construction of a mall, the location was shifted to the YPS school grounds. This year, protests by the Qaumi Insaaf Morcha have caused the celebration to be moved to Sector 77.
The centrepiece of the celebrations in Panchkula will be the 171-ft Ravana effigy, which stands tall at Shalimar Ground in Sector 5. This colossal effigy was crafted with an impressive investment of ₹18 lakh, through a collaborative effort by the Mata Mansa Devi Charitable Trust (Dussehra Committee) of Panchkula and the Adarsh Ramlila Dramatic Club.
A dedicated team of 25 skilled artisans spent three months bringing this towering Ravana to life. Creating the Ravana’s face required 25 quintals of iron, 500 bamboo pieces, 3,000 meters of mat, 3,500 meters of cloth, and 1 quintal of fibre. Inside the effigy, eco-friendly firecrackers from Tamil Nadu have been installed.
The UT administration has authorized the use of green firecrackers from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Station House Officers (SHOs) of the relevant police stations are responsible for ensuring that only green firecrackers are used for effigy burning.
Fireworks will not be allowed in silence zones, defined as areas at least 100 meters away from hospitals, nursing homes, primary and district healthcare centres, educational institutions, courts, religious places, etc. Violations will result in immediate penal action under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, along with other relevant acts, including the Disaster Management Act, of 2005, the Environment Protection Act, of 1986, and the Explosive Act.
