Celebrating Ravan

have always, attending Ramlila nights, approved of the burning of effigies of Ravan. A cathartic feeling is generated on cold nights by the lapping of the flames as they move upwards eating into the cardboard or melting the wax. I ask myself, if I had lived in France in 1431, would I have gone with the crowd to witness the execution of Joan of Arc by burning at the stake? It was done in the name of Christian doctrine and as a Christian of the times, I probably would have. It would not have been politically incorrect. I would certainly, as an opponent of English colonial ambition in France, have believed that politics and witchcraft go hand in hand. And in some countries that’s probably still true.

Effigy of Ravan: Ready to be burnt
Effigy of Ravan,Kumnbhakaran & Meghnad at Ramlila ground delhi

The making of Ravan in the Delhi Streets

The effigy of Ravan ready 2 went down in a heap of flames and the entire horizon got illuminated by crackers and rockets. It was Ramlila and it was after twenty long years we had come back to our town to be a part of it. It brought back to my mind another such event that got etched into my childhood memory. It was also a similar event in which Ravan got to be the hero at the end of the day.