BHOPAL: An injection syringe-like arrow struck the effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad at TT Nagar Dussehra Maidan in the city on Friday.
The effigies then went up in smoke amidst the chants of Jai Shri Ram and bursting of firecrackers, denoting the denouement of all evils.
The purpose of making such an arrow was to give a message to the society that getting jabbed is the only way to shoo away the real demon of the modern world, Covid-19.
At some places the faces of the effigies were covered with visors, the only shield against ‘Coronasur’ or the virus.
With the burning of effigies of the demons, the nine-day Navratri festival came to an end.
Effigy of Ravana goes up in smoke amidst the chants of Jai Shri Ram in BHopal on Friday. | Pradeep Mehera
People witnessing Ravana Dahan in Bhopal on Friday. | Pradeep Mehera
Higher education minister Vishwas Sarang was the chief guest at TT Nagar Dussehra Maidan.
Similarly, the effigies of the evil spirits were consigned to flames in Chhola Maidan, BHEL ground, Kolar and Bittan Market ground and at other places. Most of the Ravan Dahan committees have followed the corona-protection norms.
At the gates of the parks where the effigies were burnt, the committee members sanitised the hands of the visitors. They also distributed masks among people. Lord Rama entered the rostrums where the effigies of the demons were kept and shot an arrow at them. Children in many localities also made the effigies of Ravan and burnt them in the evening.
When the effigies of the demons were being burnt, the idols of goddess Durga were being immersed at Prempura, Khatlapura, Kamalapati, Bairagarh and others notified Ghats.
DIG Irshad Wali performs Shashtra-Puja at Police Line, Nehru Nagar on occasion of Dussehra on Friday. | FP
celebratory firing by police officers on the occasion of Vijaya Dashmi in Bhopal on Friday. | FP
As the afternoon began to approach, hundreds of people started gathering at the Ghats to witness immersion ceremony and at various parks to see the burning of the effigies of the demons.
The members of various Durga Puja committees began to take out the idols from the Pandals in processions since morning. They danced to the tune of devotional songs till they reached the Ghats.
Special security arrangements were made at the Ghats and at Dussehra Maidans.
When they were carrying the idols, they chanted: Durga Mai ki Jai and Jai Mata Di.
The celebrations continued till late in the night when the crescent moon of Dashami, the tenth day of the new moon, was up in the welkin. The drumbeats slowly merged with the silence of midnight.
