Dussehra in the shadow of Covid, air pollution

New Delhi, Oct 25 : ‘Dussehraa’, the penultimate day of Navratri when Ravan is set on fire, is being prepared in the national capital with smaller Ravans, controlled crowd and a lesser fervor this time. Some have even called off the event this time, given the Covid-19 situation and the rising air quality woes.
In the capital’s Ram Lila maidan, pink faced Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad effigies are being readied. Relatively smaller in size, the organizers also have arranged to maintain the limited crowd that visits maintain social distancing norms. At the gate in Ram Lila Maidan, masks are being provided and mandatory sanitizers are being given so that it doesn’t turn out to be a cause for worry amid the pandemic. An organizer said, “We want Corona to go away with the burning of Ravan”.A In the national capitala’s Shastri Park also Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad effigies are being readied.
Delhi Dharmik Sangh, the umbrella body of Dussehra celebrations have been extra careful this year and tried to reason with organizers for holding smaller events with physical distancing which many have paid heed to. Apart from the pandemic, the rising pollution level in the city is another big reason.A Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia congratulated the ‘Luv Kush Ramlila Committee’ for the symbolic aRavan dahan’ this time due to corona and pollution. acePollution and Corona are the Ravan of today,”he said today. The Luv Kush Ramlila Committee, one of the oldest and well known Ramlila organisers in Delhi, cancelled Dussehra celebrations and theARaavan dahanAthis time. They will telecast last year’s celebration instead.A They are not alone. Dwarka Sri Ram Leela Society too cancelled the event this time. It is one of the major crowd pullers. The organizers made a conscious decision given the raging pandemic and the strict SOPs in place.