The festive excitement of Dussehra reached its peak on Sunday evening, when the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarn and Meghnad were burnt at Parade Ground in the presence of thousands of people along with Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna and other public representatives.
Bahuguna who reached the venue at around 5.30 pm along with his granddaughter, daughter-in-law and son Saket Bahuguna was welcomed by Dehradun Bannu Biradri Dussehra Committee president Santokh Singh Nagpal and other committee members. later, Bahuguna greeted people of the State on occasion of Dussehra.
Doon residents and persons belonging to other parts of the State started reaching the Parade Ground to see the event much before it started. Thousands of visitors who reached the ground were stopped outside police barricading made around the ground. Those persons who came on their vehicles had to walk around a kilometre to reach the ground, as police had installed barricading at various places around the ground.
Police had made elaborate security arrangements for making this event successful. Committee carried out a religious processions at around 3 pm from Gopinath Temple. The procession passsed through different localities including luniya Mohalla, Paltan Bazar, Rajpur Road, Quality Chowk and concluded at Parade Ground.
locals dressed as Ram, Sita, lakshman, Hanuman and others made rounds of the ground while members of the public greeted them by chanting 'Jai Sri Ram ' and 'Jai Sri Hanuman'. 'Hanuman' burnt a model of lanka as part of the lanka Dehen performance.The crowds appeared excited by the event. The festive excitement peaked when the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarn and Meghnad were burnt while the crowd raised slogans in praise of Ram. The burning of these effigies took place at around 6.20 pm.
Bahuguna said that the festival symbolises the victory of good over evil, showing Ram’s triumph over Ravana. “We have successfully overcome from disaster which had struck the State on June 16 and 17. All the religions teach us to live together with peace and tranquility. We should live together and work for the development of Uttarakhand and the country,” he added.
After the event, special fireworks show was held on the ground for for half an hour. Nagpal said that the programme of Bharat Milap will be organised at 2 pm on October 14. Moreover, several programmes of burning effigies of Ravan, Kumbhakarn and Meghnad were held at various places in the city and other parts of the State on Sunday.
Those present on the occasion included Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli, Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Vijay, ex-Vidhan Sabha speaker and Cantt MlA Harbans Kapur, Rajpur Road MlA Rajkumar, Mussoorie MlA Ganesh Joshi and committee members.