news details |
|
|
| Its Muslim hand behind truth’s triumph | | MAKING OF RAVANA IN JAMMU | | MUNISH GUPTA
JAMMU, Oct 4: For these Muslim craftsmen their work is above religion for God is one. It’s sewa for them and they get a sense of fulfilment when lakhs enjoy the triumph of good over evil watching the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad go up in flames every Dusehra day.
Undoubtedly, Jammu must remain a place where respect for pluralism, for differences, for social variety is respected. No community should feel unsafe or unwanted. Jammu does not belong to any single group of people, least of all to any group of religious extremists. It belongs to a mosaic of linguistically and culturally varied communities.
Work was carried out on a war footing to prepare effigies of Ravana and his son Meghnad and brother Kumbhkaran. Though effigies of Ravana are set on fire in various parts of Jammu, the fact that Muslims prepare one of the biggest effigies of Ravana in the state sets it apart from others.
The effigy of Ravana, to be erected in prade ground in Jammu City, is around 50 ft high. The effigy was prepared at Geeta Bhawan adjoining the police control room at the ground.
The tradition has not been broken for the last several decades and Mohammad Saber, who heads this team, is the third generation of Ravana effigy-makers in his family.
Saber said that over the years, the cost of making an effigy of Ravana had shot up. He was accompanied by 29 artisans for the preparation of three effigies.
These artists believe that the viewers should be given full enjoyment while burning the Ravana effigies.citizens of Jammu that they witness such titanic effigies of Ravana in the city at different places. All these work is done by these artistes.
The artistes, when asked about the preparation of Ravana effigies, told that they have to do a lot of preparations for this day. They do hard work for it. They have to do work day and night to prepare different kinds of effigies. With a minute mistake its face can be deformed so they use different colours in preparation. Saber said that this time they have changed in several ways in preparation of effigies and have tried their beast to attract people through their art. They use their best art to prepare Ravana effigies for Jammu.
An another artist, Abdul said that they have been doing this work of preparing effigies of Ravana for last several years and this work needs hard work.. He said that not only in Jammu city but these effigies are also sent out of Jammu, which is an example of their quality. He further said that his team prepares effigies of Ravana and his brother and son for many places in Jammu Province. He also added that it was not a question of religion as far as their work was concerned. “God is one. We get immense happiness and satisfaction when lakhs come to see the effigies made by us goes up in flames. The craft has been in the family for four generations, but now I want my sons to study and get jobs.”
The face of Dasehra celebrations is likely to undergo a change in the coming years as the younger generation is not interested in carrying on the work of effigy making which has been done by earlier four generations stated Saber. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
