Ravan a blessing for effigy makers

NEW DELHI: Mohanlal is in his seventies, and for the last 35 years, the days leading up to Dusshera are full of frenetic activity. Hundreds of others can likewise be seen toiling away day and night to make effigies of Ravan at the crowded Tatarpur road in west Delhi. Most of the effigy-makers have different professions- you will find carpenters, painters and even tea-stall owners.Their synergy and combined talents help put together the iconic effigies.
The effigies come in different shapes and sizes-from a four-foot effigy that can be burned in a garden to the towering ones of 50-60 feet that are normally seen in parks, community get-togethers and Ramlilas. A carpenter by profession, Mohanlal says his family has been making effigies for decades. "This is usually the most productive time of the year in terms of income. Every member of my family pitches in to make the maximum effigies as quickly as we can. The competition is tough and we need to hold our edge,'' he says with his attention fixed on his son who carefully dabs a coat of paint on one of the eyes painted on a Ravan effigy. Many professional painters can be seen unlocking their creativity by using a combination of paint and coloured paper to make the effigies stand out.
The effigies are so huge that they occupy most of the pavements below Metro stations and also eat into the roads. Rajender, who is deft at making the body of the effigy by tying together bamboo sticks to make the frame, has observed a decline in the demand for effigies over the decades. "Till a decade ago, people wanted effigies of Ravan to be not less than 100 foot. A special crane would be hired to transport it. Nowadays, the maximum height that we build is about 50-60 feet. Sometimes we get a rare request for a 85- foot effigy," he says.
None of the makers could recall where they learnt the art of fashioning effigies. "It was taught to me by my father and then we learnt it as a community craft. We all learn from each other and help each other. An elderly man who died several years ago used to teach a large group of people the art of making effigies. He passed on a lot of tips,'' says Ram, another effigy-maker.
Each effigy sells for about Rs 350-400 per feet. The most artistic ones with elaborate paintwork in the eyes and face can fetch a higher price. A 60-foot effigy sells for about Rs 20,000-25,000. The multi-headed Ravan effigy costs more than those of Kumbhkaran and Meghnad, the latter two are generally smaller than the main Ravan effigy. The bamboo sticks, homemade glue, colored papers all come from Khari Baoli in Old Delhi. Most of the effigies, especially the bigger ones, are made only on order. Michaeal Lakra, an Indian soldier who retired more than two decades ago sells effigies. His draws upon his knowledge of making canoes, acquired during his Army days, to make effigies now. The rest of the year he runs a tea stall.
"When I retired, I was allotted a piece of land in Chhatisgarh by the government but it wasn't enough. I have been in the trade of making effigies for years now and I enjoy this time of the year,'' said Lakra, who has three college-age kids.