Standing tall as others collapsed in the rain, a unique Raavan effigy in Rajasthan's Kota will be set afire on Thursday evening to celebrate Dussehra, bringing the Navratri and Durga Puja celebrations to a close.
The over 220-foot effigy, aiming for a world record, will be burned using remote control through sensors embedded at 25 points. Sensors at each of these points will be activated one by one, sparking off firecrackers of different colours.
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.
The effigy, made of fiberglass, drew attention for staying dry and unharmed even as heavy rains in Rajasthan on Tuesday led to effigies made of paper in other parts of the state to collapse.
Thursday's Dussehra celebrations will end with Raavan dahan, where an effigy is burnt to mark Lord Rama's victory over Raavan, signifying the victory of good over evil. Over the past years, the practice in Kota has drawn massive crowds, with effigies designed with a moving head or mouth.
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."
As rains lashed Rajasthan on Tuesday, visuals showed effigies reduced to soaked and broken torsos, limbs, demon heads, their paint washed away.
