Rain blow to Ravan effigy-makers
Jaipur: They had sleepless and tiring nights while making and giving final touches to the effigies of Ravan. The unexpected rainfall across the city on Monday, however, shattered the dreams of families traditionally engaged in making small effigies for retail customers.
Jetha Bai, a 23-year-old girl, came along with five members of her family from a village near Jalore almost 45 days ago and put nearly Rs 50,000 in purchasing the raw material needed to make the effigies.
Most of the Ravan effigies made by them got drenched and damaged due to sudden rainfall.
“We were staying on the street, cooking on the street and making effigies there. A day prior to Vijaydashmi gives us our dues. But the rainfall has damaged everything now,” said Jetha Bai, wiping off her tears while taking to TOI at a bus stop on the Queen’s Road.
Jetha said that the family had taken Rs 50,000 on loan from a money lender of her village. “Kuch hi nai miliyo saa (We have got nothing),” she said. Usually the makers of small effigies wait for the Navmi, a day prior to Vijaydashmi where retail customers buy the Ravan effigies to be used in colonies and in front of houses, but the rain proved to be a disaster for them. Mohan Ram (54) one of the family member of Jetha, said, “We have heard that Jaipur has a good market of effigies of Ravan, thus we took money on credit and came almost 45 days prior to Vijaydashmi. Government should help us as we have earned nothing.”
“We were staying on the street, cooking on the street and making effigies there. A day prior to Vijaydashmi gives us our dues. But the rainfall has damaged everything now,” said Jetha Bai, wiping off her tears while taking to TOI at a bus stop on the Queen’s Road.
Jetha said that the family had taken Rs 50,000 on loan from a money lender of her village. “Kuch hi nai miliyo saa (We have got nothing),” she said. Usually the makers of small effigies wait for the Navmi, a day prior to Vijaydashmi where retail customers buy the Ravan effigies to be used in colonies and in front of houses, but the rain proved to be a disaster for them. Mohan Ram (54) one of the family member of Jetha, said, “We have heard that Jaipur has a good market of effigies of Ravan, thus we took money on credit and came almost 45 days prior to Vijaydashmi. Government should help us as we have earned nothing.”
Similar were the scenes at Sodala, Gujjar ki Thadi, Khatipura Road, Chomu Pulia, Gopalpura and Mansarovar where the effigy makers were tense and shattered.
“In the morning, we had sold nearly 10 Ravan effigies the smaller ones which we were selling in Rs 500 to Rs 1,000. However, we were waiting for various residential societies to come and claim the bigger effigies,” said Laaduram an effigy-maker near Sodala.
The organisers of various Vijaydashmi programmes across the city made elaborate arrangements to keep the effigies intact. “We have kept various portions that make a complete lofty effigy of Ravan at sheds including community halls and temples. Anticipating the rain we had covered the effigy with polythene. Usually these are erected a day prior to Vijaydashmi but this time we will do it on Tuesday noon and that too depending on the weather,” said Manoj one of the organiser of Vijaydashmi festival at Mansarovar where 70 feet effigy would be set on fire.
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