Bhopal’s Ravana Effigy Market Comes Alive Ahead of Dussehra

Ahead of Dussehra, the market for Ravana effigies has become lively in Bhopal. Colourful effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad have been placed for sale along the roads in several parts of the city, including Link Road Number-2. People are reaching the market to buy them, with demand ranging from small effigies to giant Ravana figures. This year, artisans have also prepared waterproof effigies to protect them from the possibility of rain.

Large-scale Ravana burning events will be organised at more than 18 places in the capital. Apart from these events, preparations are under way to burn effigies at more than 7 thousand places in streets, neighbourhoods and colonies across the city. Keeping this demand in mind, artisans in areas including Tulsinagar, Second Stop, Banskhedi, Itkhedi and Panchsheel Nagar had been working on the effigies for the last one-and-a-half to two months.

The completed effigies have now been displayed along the roads for sale. The market is seeing buyers looking for effigies of different sizes and designs. Some customers had booked effigies of their choice around 15 days in advance. After the advance bookings, the process of buying the prepared effigies has now gathered pace.

Ravana effigies measuring from 2 to 20 feet are available in the market. For large events, effigies measuring 40 feet or more are also being made after receiving orders. The prices begin at 800 rupees and go up to 40 thousand rupees. The final price is decided according to the size and design of the effigy, as well as the material used in its construction.

The cost of making the effigies has increased this year because the prices of bamboo, thread and paper have gone up. Artisan Rakhi Patel, who was making effigies with her family on Link Road Number-2, said that the higher cost of construction material had pushed up the overall cost of the effigies.

According to Patel, bamboo that was earlier available for 150 rupees now costs 200 rupees. The price of thread has increased from 120 rupees to 180 rupees. Paper, which earlier cost 60 rupees, is now priced at up to 80 rupees. These increases have affected the cost of both small and large effigies.

Artisans said that making a large effigy can take around one week. As the size of the effigy increases, the use of bamboo, paper and other materials also rises. This is why larger effigies are priced higher than smaller ones. Effigies measuring 40 feet or more are being made especially for orders placed for large Dussehra events.

The market is not limited to Ravana effigies. Figures of Kumbhkaran and Meghnad are also available. They are being decorated with attractive costumes, crowns and weapons. Several customers prefer to buy all three effigies as a set so that Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad can be burnt together on Dussehra.

Artisans are generally preparing effigies without firecrackers. Artisan Khemchand said that customers who want firecrackers fitted into the effigies will have to pay an additional amount. The total cost is decided according to the height of the effigy and the material used in it.

With more than 18 large-scale events and preparations for effigy burning at more than 7 thousand places in the city, the roadside markets in Bhopal are currently displaying effigies in several sizes. Alongside the regular figures, waterproof effigies are also being prepared because of the possibility of rain. The market now has options ranging from 800-rupee effigies to large figures costing up to 40 thousand rupees.