As rain in various parts of the country hampered the celebration of festivals and visuals showed Raavan effigies collapsing amid the downpour ahead of Dussehra, an effigy in Rajasthan's Kota continued to stand tall.
Towering at a height of 221.5 feet, the Raavan effigy in Rajasthan's Kota aims to set a record as one of the tallest effigies in the country. But a feather in the cap of the team that made it was added when the fiberglass effigy stood dry and unharmed as heavy rain in Rajasthan caused widespread damage to infrastructure and crops.
The effigy's face is about 25 feet in height and weighs around 3 quintals, while its shoes are 40 feet in size, the crown measures 60 feet and the sword is 50 feet long. 400 meters of velvet cloth was used to dress the effigy.
On Thursday, as the country celebrates Dussehra, marking the end of Durga Puja and Navratri, the effigy in Kota will be set ablaze at 25 points. Sensors at each of these points will be activated one-by-one using remote control, setting the effigy on fire and sparking off crackers of different colours.
Haryana's Tejinder Singh, whose team made the effigy, said, "We constructed this Raavan keeping the rain factor in mind. Factoring in climate change and unseasonal rains, we didn't use paper at all, so it is rain-proof. In fact, the rain has cleaned the effigy out."
Raavan dahan, where an effigy is burnt to mark Lord Rama's victory over Raavan, signifies the victory of good over evil. Over the past years, the practice in Kota draws massive crowds, with effigies designed with a moving head or mouth.
As rains lashed Rajasthan on Tuesday, visuals showed effigies reduced soaked and broken torsos, limbs, demon heads, their paint washed away.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
