Dussehra celebrated with prayers, small effigies in Chandigarh

Due to difficulty in getting permissions and the challenges posed by the pandemic, the city celebrated Dussehra this year in a different vein, with people turning

Due to difficulty in getting permissions and the challenges posed by the pandemic, the city celebrated Dussehra this year in a different vein, with people turning to prayers rather than burning effigies.

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President of the Chandigarh Kendriya Ramleela Mahasabha, Bhagwati Prashad Gaur, said, “Even though no Ramlila committee set up effigies this year, the stage was still kept occupied and aarti was performed. A 24-hour pooja to honour Lord Ram was carried out on Dussehra to mark the end of Navratri.”

The Youth Welfare Club of Maloya was the only association to have permission to organise a Dussehra function, but they instead chose to take out a rath yatra. President Sobhit Kaushal said, “The yatra started at 3pm and we took a round around Maloya dressed in our festive garb. We followed all instructions by the administration for everyone’s safety.”

Ashok Chaudhary, adviser of the Joint Ram Leela Sangh, who plays the character of Ravana in the Sector 20 Ramlila, said that despite the lockdown the actors had a lot of fun and the audience also enjoyed it.

On Sunday evening, children in some areas had made their own effigies of Ravana, and the sound of crackers could be heard in the city even though no large functions were organised anywhere.