Muslim family of Meerut reached Shimla temple to make effigy of Ravana

Shimla (ANI): Giving a message of communal harmony, a Muslim family from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut is burning effigies of epic Ramayana characters Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad at midnight ahead of the Dussehra festival. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu will burn the effigy of Ravana at the famous Jakhu temple in Shimla on Tuesday. People of Muslim families have been making these effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad for many years.

This year, the third generation of a Muslim family from Meerut reached the Jakhu temple to make effigies of the demon king and other characters from the Ramayana.
“We come to Shimla every year during Dussehra. We take great pleasure in participating in the preparations for Dussehra. We have been making idols and effigies for three generations. We make effigies of Ravana measuring 45 feet, and effigies of Kumbhakarna and Meghnad.” They are 35 feet and 30 feet respectively. It’s been a week since we started work here. We want to set an example and spread the message of communal harmony here,” Mohammed Aslam, a Meerut family member, told ANI.

The youth described themselves as descendants of Meerut resident Rahat Hussain, whose family has been making effigies of Dussehra for the last 70 years. Rahat’s three sons Muhammad Aslam, Muhammad Adeel and Muhammad Arfeen have been preparing effigies at Jakhu temple in Shimla for the last 15 days. Till the effigies are ready, these people stay in the Jakhu temple and the temple administration makes arrangements for their food. Apart from Jakhu, these brothers also work in making effigies for Sankat Mochan Temple, Shoghi and Sunni areas of Shimla.

The festival of Dussehra will be celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country on Tuesday.
Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla will launch the Dussehra celebrations in Kullu district.