📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Pete Birkinshaw
Religion
Ravana effigy for Dussehra being prepared in New Delhi, featuring a unique replica
✍️ News18 Marathi
🗓 20 Oct 2026, 07:02 PM
👁 20
Authorities in New Delhi have begun assembling the Ravana effigy for this year’s Dussehra celebrations, unveiling a distinctive replica as part of the preparations.
New Delhi is gearing up for the annual Dussehra festivities, with municipal teams and local artisans working on the central attraction – a large Ravana effigy that will be set ablaze at the end of the celebrations. The preparation, underway at the city’s designated Ramlila venue, follows the traditional schedule of constructing the figure weeks in advance.
A notable element of this year’s effigy is a specially crafted replica that resembles a cockroach, an unusual addition that organisers say is intended to draw public interest and highlight themes of good triumphing over evil in all forms. Skilled craftsmen have molded the figure from wood and papier‑mâché, applying paint and decorative elements to ensure it meets safety standards for the final burning.
The completed effigy is expected to be displayed for public viewing in the days leading up to Dussehra, after which it will be ignited in a controlled ceremony attended by officials and spectators. Security measures and crowd‑control plans are being finalised to ensure a smooth event.
Residents of the capital have expressed anticipation for the spectacle, which traditionally marks the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana and signals the onset of the festive season across India.
A notable element of this year’s effigy is a specially crafted replica that resembles a cockroach, an unusual addition that organisers say is intended to draw public interest and highlight themes of good triumphing over evil in all forms. Skilled craftsmen have molded the figure from wood and papier‑mâché, applying paint and decorative elements to ensure it meets safety standards for the final burning.
The completed effigy is expected to be displayed for public viewing in the days leading up to Dussehra, after which it will be ignited in a controlled ceremony attended by officials and spectators. Security measures and crowd‑control plans are being finalised to ensure a smooth event.
Residents of the capital have expressed anticipation for the spectacle, which traditionally marks the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana and signals the onset of the festive season across India.