Ujjain : Dusshera or Vijayadashami was celebrated in the city with religious fervour on Thursday. Depicting the triumph of good over the evil, the effigy of Ravana, Meghnath and Kumbkaran were consigned to flames in various parts of the city.
People from different religions were seen exchanging greetings since morning. The celebrations saw massive effigies of the demon king Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnad going up in flames in various parts of the city. Residents crowded these places to watch the event. The functions organised at various grounds in the city were by and large peaceful. No case of violence or damage was reported.
Roads were crowded and roadsides encroached upon due to the parking of vehicles. Adding to the crowd were the roadside vendors. All this led to chaos on the city roads. Traffic cops had a tough time regulating the traffic and controlling the crowd. The effigies were burnt at the Dussehra Maidan and at the Dutt Akhada premises on the banks of river Kshipra. Scenes from the lives of Lord Rama and his fight with Ravana were staged before the effigies were set ablaze around 8 pm. People witnessed an impressive show of firecrackers as well as the bursting of cracker-stuffed effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad.
While Member of Parliament Chintamani Malviya, MLA Mohan Yadav, Congress leader Manohar Bairagi, Leader of Opposition Rajendra Vashishtha and organiser Om Amarnath Khatri were guests of the function. Collector Kavindra Kiyawat and SP Manohar Verma performed the Pujan of the Shri Ram. Divisional Commissioner Ravindra Pastor, Collector Kavindra Kiyawat and SP MS Verma greeted the citizens on Vijayadashami, saying the denizens should prepare themselves for a grand Simhastha Fair. They urged people to stand up against social evils like corruption, drugs, female foeticide and child marriage.
Police remain on toes
Unprecedented security arrangements were made to avert any untoward incident. A large number of policemen, who were on foot, motorcycles and four-wheelers, along with SP MS Verma and ASP Amarendra Singh made rounds of the city. SP MS Verma said, the police was deployed in strength to ensure complete security to the people visiting the places where effigies were to be incinerated. Around 1000 cops were deployed to ensure smooth activities. He said Ravana effigies are not only burnt in the city but the rural areas also witness all these activities and the police force is also deployed there. The police remained on its toes since early morning to ensure that everything passed off peacefully. Sources in the police said Dussehra was celebrated at as many as 5 places in the city and there was a heavy deployment of policemen at all venues. 10 DSPs, 40 inspectors, 150 sub-inspectors kept vigil over the processions and celebrations, leaving nothing to chance.
