Effigies worth Rs 6 lakh up away in flames at about seven places across the city on Dasehra today. With inflation, the price of material used for making the effigies has also substantially risen over the past one year.

The labour cost for making effigies has almost doubled in one year. The cost of each effigy, figuring between Rs

25,000 and Rs 30,000, has risen to between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000 depending on its height. The per diem cost of labour per person ranges from Rs 150 to Rs 300.

Citing reasons for the cost escalation, Vinay Kohli, president, Dehradun Bannu Biradari Gopinath Temple Dasehra Committee, that organises Dasehra on the Parade Ground, told The Tribune that the cost of each bamboo had increased from Rs 150 to Rs 200. Similarly, prices of rope and jute strings had risen to Rs 75 from Rs 50 per kg. These two articles were primarily used to make these effigies.

Other than this, the cost of crackers, along with paper and cloth, had also increased. Kohli said, “We collect funds for this festival from donation by industrialists, shopkeepers and also visit door to door. People do pay according to their pocket”.

The 60-ft-high effigy of Ravana burnt at the Parade Ground was the tallest and the most expensive in the city till now. Effigies at Patel Nagar or Raipur cost around Rs 1 lakh each, and others made in the colonies were countless.

Kohli said the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarana and Meghnad cost them around Rs 1.80 lakh this year in comparison to last year when the price was about Rs 1 lakh.

Pitthoragarh: Navratra and Dasehra festivals were celebrated in the Kumaon region with traditional gaiety as almost all communities took part in these celebrations with their involvement from training to costume making for these performances. “Almora witnessed a grand Dasehra this year with 20 effigies of the Ravana family being torched. These effigies were made by artists in different mohallas under directions of Syed Bhai, a Muslim, who has been associated with the Almora Dasehra for many years,” said Naveen Bisht, member of the organising committee of Almora Dasehra.

The Gorkha community celebrated the Vijayadashmi as Dasai in western Nepal and in some parts of Almora, Lohaghat and Pitthoragarh. “Dasai is a traditional custom of the Nepali Gorkha community which has been following the tradition since the existence of the erstwhile Gorkha kingdom of Nepal. On this day, the community sacrifices goats and worships its traditional weaponry,” said Pushkar Rana, member of the Gorkha community in Pitthoragarh district.

The Ramlilas in Pitthoragarh district ended today with the burning of effigies of Ravana at the main Ramlila venue of the town which is more than 100 years old. “The conclusion of this Ramlila will be followed by a three-hour display of Ramlila in the Kumaoni language for the first time in the town besides the staging of the Lava-Kusha section,” said Deepak Gupta, secretary of the Ramlila Organising Committee, Pitthoragarh.

In Champawat district, effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Magnath were burned amid thousands of people. “The Ramlila in Champawat has completed 117 years this year and we are imparting new audiovisual techniques in it from the next year to make the Ramlila more attracting and acceptable,” said Lalit Taragi, chairman of the Ramlila Committee, Champawat.

Dehradun, October 17
A large number of people from various walks of life, dressed in beautiful attires, gathered to celebrate the immersion of the idols of Goddess Durga at various places in the city today. The puja that began on October 13 with the Sashthi Pujan, which denotes the moment when the demon Mahisasura was killed by the goddess, finished with the celebration of the Dashami Puja today.

Members of Puja Committee, Raipur, left with the idols of Goddess Durga annihilating an asura, along with idols of Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kartikey and Saraswati and their travel modes like owl, mouse, peacock and swan, respectively, with its immersion in the Saung river amidst chanting of mantras and sound of “Aasche bochhor aste hobe” (you will have to come again next year too).

Members of the Young Boys Club (Dalanwala), Karanpur, immersed the idols of goddess in the Ganga at Haridwar. Priest Girish Chand said they started their day early in the morning with the “aarti” and then married women played with each other by applying sindoor on one another’s face.

Members of the Bajrang Seva Samiti also immersed the idols at Haridwar in the evening.

Before the immersion, the devotees danced, sang and hugged each other leaving their bitterness behind. The procession was also taken all over the city.

“Prasad made of curd, chirvara and banana is offered to the goddess and then distributed among people,” said priest Mrinal Bhattacharya.

Before taking the idols for immersion, Darpan Visharjan (where devotees see feet of Goddess Durga in the mirror placed in water) is done followed by sindoor khela in which married women apply sindoor on the face of the goddess and seek her blessings. Sweets and paan are also offered to the goddess.

Residents of Raipur also witnessed the dance performances, along with a magic show, play and ghazal by singer Deepak, a conch blowing (shankha dhwani) and other competitions that were held on the Junior Club premises, Ordnance Factory Estate.

Prizes were distributed on the last day of the festivity by HS Chaudhury, General Manager, Opto Electronics Factory, to the winners.

“We meet everyone as if we are long-lost friends and there is no grudge between us. It is just like the festival Holi when we forget enmity,” said Tapas Chakraborty, general secretary, Puja Committee, Raipur. “Not only Bengalis, but people from other communities also come here to worship the goddess,” he added.

Gopal Das, a dhak player (drum beater), who belongs to Vardhman district near Kolkata, was specially invited for the function. “We are four brothers and visit different places for the festival every year. This is the second time I am attending the programme here,” he said. “We are paid Rs 5,000 for four days and people do give more according to their wish. I enjoy playing the drum as it is our ancestral occupation and we are the fourth generation who is continuing the legacy,” said Das.

ROORKEE: Durga Puja is a grand festival celebrated with great joy all over India. The 10-day puja ends with immersion of Durga’s idols touch of Bengali culture is also experienced over here, especially today when the festivity reaches its zenith.

There were several religious functions observed at the IIT-based temple. Devotees celebrated the occasion with cultural dance, religious songs and prayers.

The morning began with the tradition of playing with sindoor amongst married women. This age-old tradition is followed as it is believed that on the 10th day, through the immersion of the Goddess Durga idol into the water she returns to her husband Lord Shiva.

Loud chants of “Durga Maa ki jai” glorifying the stature of Maa Durga resonated the atmosphere. Amidst drumbeats and gusto of Bengali devotees and others, idols of Goddess Durga were immersed in the water after Udwasan puja.

It has been nearly a month that people of the state of Uttarakhand suffered one of the most devastating furies of nature. It was in the month of September that nature showed its wrath with incessant rains, cloudbursts and resultant floods killing more than 200 persons and damaging public and private property. As the rains stopped in the last week of September, the game of politics and one-upmanship started. While the Central government was quick to announce an interim relief of Rs 500 crore and dispatched a team of high-ranking officials to assess the damage, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state government was quick to demand Rs 21,000 crore from the Central government as relief for the damages caused by the natural disasters.

The Central assessment team visited various parts of the state and also held detailed discussions with senior officials and the Chief Minister. The result of their visit in the shape of a relief package is still awaited, but the ruling BJP in the state seems anxious to exploit the package politically by terming it inadequate. After the devastation in the monsoon rains, the state government by continuously harping on the economic relief from the Central government has tried to give a message to the masses that their relief and rehabilitation work is the primary responsibility of the Union government.

The state government machinery was inept in dealing with the situation and the money sent by the Central government has been disbursed to the district administrations as well as various department by October 15. Most of the poor sufferers of the natural calamities who lost their home and hearth had to be content with the meagre assistance of Rs 500 to Rs 2,000.

With a few exceptions, most of the politicians were not found in their own areas and public anger against them has been on the rise. Realising public sentiments, both major political parties of the state, namely the ruling BJP and main Opposition Congress, have been asking their leaders to spend more time in their constituencies as the next Assembly polls are fast approaching.

Some of the smarter politicians who saw the writing on the wall have decided to stay put in their own areas due to the fear of being disowned by the electorate in the Assembly polls. Uttarakhand Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resource Minister Parkash Pant is seen only once in the state capital and has decided to be with his voters of Pitthoragarh.

Similarly, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat, without awaiting for any government relief, employed his own resources to provide relief and succour to his voters, particularly in the Laksar area of Haridwar district, who were badly hit by the high floods that destroyed their homes, shops and crops. Rawat not only tried to provide them foodgrain, but also tried to get fodder for their animals.

State Congress Chief Yashpal Arya has also been on his legs touring parts of Nainital district to personally meet the victims.

With winter knocking on the door, people living in the hills as well as the plains demand that the state government should put its’ act together and at least start working on the repair of public services like roads and water supply systems.

Dehradun, October 17
After a long five-year wait, the Uttarakhand government has commenced admission process for the Licence in Teaching (LT) in the entire state. The admission forms are being sold at all major post offices of the state, but applicants are not satisfied with the cost of the form.

The cost of the admission form is Rs 790 inclusive of the post office commission, and the cost will reach up to Rs 1,000 after attaching other documents and photographs of the applicant. The admission forms for the SC/ST and the disabled quota is Rs 540, including handling charges.

The sale of the LT admission forms started from October 15, but many applicants were apprehensive to seek admission in the course as the forms are overpriced with only 1,800 seats. “The cost of the admission form for lecturers is Rs 150 and at maximum will reach up to Rs 180 only after documentation, which is very nominal, but if we estimate the number of applying teachers for the post with the cost of the form it will turn into crores,” said Baldev Bhandari, president of the BEd/BPEd Prashikshit Berozgar Sangathan.

There are more than one lakh unemployed BEd trained teachers in Uttarakhand who are eagerly waiting for the admission process of the LT teachers to commence. The admissions in LT have commenced on the basis of memorandum given by the BEd/BPEd Prashikshit Berozgar Sangathan to the administration in 2006.

According to the Education Department, the charge for conducting the admission process is given to the State Council for Technical Education, Roorkee, while the Secretary will look after its operation. Firstly, the merit of the short-listed candidates will be made followed by a written test.

With the sale of 733 forms of general category, 184 forms for the SC/ST category, the department has already made the profit of Rs 5.81 lakh on the first day.

Dehradun, October 17
The Uttarakhand Police team has high hopes in their match against the Tata Football Academy (TFA) to be held on October 19 during the 123rd edition of the Durand Cup that kickstarted in New Delhi today with the qualifier matches between J&K Bank and the Indian Navy and MEG Bangalore and Indian National FC tie at the Ambedkar Stadium.

As a part of the Durand Cup preparations, the state police played their second friendly match in Delhi on Sunday. After registering a goalless draw against the Indian Air Force at the IAF ground on Saturday, the police team was in high spirits on Sunday.

The second friendly match against a strong Assam Rifles side indicated the growing confidence of the cops. The Assam Rifles versus Uttarakhand Police practice match ended in a 1-1 draw. The result would have pleased the Police side a lot as Assam Rifles is a formidable force in Indian football. The Assam Rifles is regularly playing in the Durand Cup and every year they make it to the main draw.

The Uttarakhand Police is looking at their October 19 encounter against the Tata Football Academy with high hopes now. The result of the two practice matches played in Delhi will have helped the cops gain confidence. With young and talented Deepak Kandari and experienced Bir Singh in the forward line and India under-19 players Amit Bisht and Saurav Rawat in the mid field, the Uttarakhand Police is likely to put their best effort against the Tata Football Academy.

Sixteen teams have been accommodated in the qualifying knock out rounds in the Durand Cup. Four teams from the Army, one team each from the Indian Navy and the Air Force, two teams from paramilitary forces, ie the BSF and Assam Rifles, the Uttarakhand Police besides the Ahbab Sports Club, J&K Bank, Srinagar, Garhwal Heroes, Tata Football Club, Indian National Football Club, Vasco and Amity United from Haryana are in the qualifier.

They are divided into two groups of eight teams each. The winner of each group will be promoted to quarter-final league. Ten teams are directly seeded in the quarter-final league. Churchill Brothers, Dempo Sports Club, Sporting Club-de-Goa, East Bengal Club, JCT Phagwara, Air India Mumbai, Salgaocar Sports Club, Pune Football Club, Army Red and Chirag United will be playing directly in the main round.

Two winner teams from the qualifying knockout rounds will join to make the tally of 12 teams for the quarter-final round. These teams will be divided into four groups of three teams each. The winner of each group will qualify for the semi-finals.

All matches of the tournament have been thrown open to the public without tickets on first come first serve basis. The Durand Football Tournament has the distinction of being the third oldest football tournament of the world and the oldest football tournament of Asia.

A Dasehra procession being taken out in 1942 at Mussoorie. Photo courtesy: Gopal Bhardwaj

Mussoorie, October 17
Dashera was celebrated with fervour and gaiety here today. Devotees thronged various temples to offer prayers to Goddess Durga on the auspicious occasion of Dashmi which fell today.

A Dashera Mela was also organised by the Lions Club, Mussoorie, at Sylverton Hotel here in which a raffle draw was also organised, along with several stalls of eatables and fun games for the entertainment of visiting tourists.

The highlight of the day was the burning of mythical demon Ravana at both ends of the town. However, the main attraction was the traditional Dashera festival that is held on an annual basis on this day. The procession began from the Sanatan Dharm Temple, Landour. It consisted of religious tableaus depicting various Hindu gods and goddesses. The Hanuman impersonator stole the show as he entertained the crowds with tomfoolery all the way to the Lakshmi Narayan Temple. Shopkeepers also offered him eatables, including chocolates and sweets, which he passed on to spectators following him.

The procession ended at Library Bazar where a huge effigy of Ravana was burnt after the symbolic arrow was stuck by the person enacting Lord Rama amid fireworks for several minutes.

According to local historian Gopal Bhardwaj, the Dashera procession began around 100 years back when the jeweller community, which was broadly Hindus from Sahranpur and Meerut, requested East India Company officers to grant them permission to take out a Dashera procession. The officers granted them the permission, but instructed that them it should be a quiet affair. The business community, buoyed by the permission, contacted villagers around the town and, thus, the first Dashera procession began with enthusiasm. The burning of the Ravana effigy was added on the procession day in later years, added Bhardwaj.

Bhardwaj, showing a rare picture the 1942 Dashera procession, said the British had allowed the procession contrary to the claims made by several locals that the procession was started after a lot of struggle. The Sanatan Dharm Temple at Landour, from where the Dashera procession commenced, was also the oldest temple in the town, reaffirmed Bhardwaj.