Monday Medley – Spotting Ravan in Bidar!
We were in Bidar in North Karnataka on Vijaya Dashami day. This is the last day of Dasara or Navaratri which is a major festival and one of the few which is celebrated across the country.
We did not expect to see with Ravan and companions in the city. It was surprising to see the effigies of Ravan, Kumbhakaran and Meghnad in the heart of the city as Ram Leela is generally celebrated in North India. The enthusiastic local youth were preparing the Ram Leela ground for Ravan Dhahan or burning of Ravan's effigy in the evening.
The effigies themselves were colourful. All three of them sported thick Moustache typical of the region. The dress they worn was also like the ones traditionally worn by the people in the region.
The facial expression of Ravan said it all. He seems to resigned to his karma where as Kumbhakaran and Meghnad seemed to ready for another bout of fight!
We asked the organisers if we can click these pictures on a sunny afternoon with few clouds hanging in the sky.
There you are. The three demons basking in the sun. Click on the picture to see it in original size.
Postscript – Ravan, Kumbhakaran and Meghnad are three important characters in Indian Epic Ramayana. Ram Leela is a tradition of village theater played out in North India depicting the story of Ramayana on the stage during the week of Dasara. The effigies are burnt on the last day of Navratri symbolising defeat of Ravan at the hands of Ram.
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Yes this post was very interesting and helpful for me and I really enjoyed reading it. I never visited the Bidar but I have a little bit information about it because the friend of my mom lives there. She knows the all events of the Indian community. She has very vast knowledge about this region. I am eager to see the event of Dasara or Navaratri but sadly I never saw it. Would you like to share when the exact time when it took place is? I am going India next month when I will become free from nyc niagara falls bus tours.