New Delhi: On Dussehra, Delhi was dressed for a spectacle. Towering effigies of Ravan, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran stood ready, decorative lights were strung like necklaces across the grounds and the crowd was humming with anticipation. But then came the uninvited guest — rain.It started as a drizzle that sent vendors scrambling to cover their chaat and sweet stalls. Within minutes, it grew into a steady downpour, transforming the open fields into muddy swamps. The giant effigies, already in position, had no escape. “For two days, we managed to keep them covered, but today there was nothing we could do,” said an organiser at one of the Red Fort Ramlilas on Thursday.For a moment, it seemed the celebration might dissolve into disappointment. “Ravan might drown before he burns!” joked one visitor, drawing laughter from those around him. But people stayed. Umbrellas mushroomed across the grounds, children splashed in puddles and women in bright saris tiptoed hurriedly, holding their hems above the mud. Soaked chairs lay abandoned, but raincoats, plastic sheets and sheer determination kept the audience in place. They waited eagerly for celebrity guests to turn up for Ravan Dahan.The organisers, however, had bigger challenges. “The rain was heavy, but the audience managed. Some lifted chairs over their heads, others pulled down flex boards for cover, and many ran into nearby tents. But they did not leave,” said Luv Kush Ramlila committee president Arjun Kumar. “But since the effigies were wet, we had to bring in tempos of dry grass and use extra fuel. We even cut down on some lighting and sound to avoid electrical hazards. Safety came first, but the show was not compromised.”A similar story unfolded at the Shri Dharmic Leela Committee’s event, where President Droupadi Murmu herself marked Ravan Dahan. “The seating was drenched and the ground became a muddy mess, but the Ramlila went on,” said secretary Pradeep Sharan. Press secretary Ravi Jain explained, “We had to improvise with dry material and extra fuel to ensure the effigies caught fire.”Not all events, however, could welcome their star guests. At the Nav Shri Dharmik Lila Committee’s grounds, press secretary Rahul Sharma shared, “The rainwater filled the venue and soaked the effigies. Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were expected, but the weather kept them away. Still Ravan Dahan was done. By the time the effigies were set on fire, the rain stopped, and people enjoyed every bit of it with the ground full as always.“At IP Extension, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to attend, the disruptions were just as intense. “The ground was waterlogged, but the crowd refused to budge. They kept chanting ‘Jai Siya Ram’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ through the rain,” said Shree Ramlila Committee Indraprastha president Suresh Bindal.By the time the rain finally subsided, the grounds resembled a swamp more than a festival venue. But the spectacle went on. As flames leapt skyward, the spirit of Dussehra burned brighter than ever.
