A 125 ft Ravana — the tallest ever effigy to be put up in lucknow, would be the centre of attraction when Prime Minister Narendra Modi participates in the ‘Ravana Dahan’ at the historic Aishbagh Ramleela ground on Dussehra/Vijaydashmi on October 11.
The PM, asccompanied by local MP and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, will also watch a part of Ramlilla to be performed by a troupe from Thailand at the Aishbagh ground, which has a seating capacity of 25,000 people.
The stage ‘Ram Durbar’ where the PM and other dignitaries would sit will be of golden hue and the PM is likely to address the gathering on Dussehra. In all probaility, Modi's speech is likely to veer around terrorism and highlight the importance of festival with a slogan of ‘win over the evil’.
With UP polls round the corner, the PM’s brief two-hour visit has many political connotations. Political pundits say that as PM will do arti of lord Rama, it could send an indication on the party’s commitment on constructing a Rama temple at Ayodhya.
At the function to be conducted by lucknow Mayor and BJP national vice-president Dinesh Sharma, the PM will be honoured with a copy of Ramcharitra Manas, 'Gadaa' (mace) and bow and arrow to mark the festival after narrating the history of Aishbagh Ramlila.
President and convenor of the Aishbagh Ramlila Committee Harish Chandra Agarwal said that a new leaf will be added to the 156-year-old Ramlila when the PM graces the occasion.
"A troupe from Thailand would be performing the Ramilila. The effigy of Ravan would be taller than last time. There would 3D lighting effect on the stage which has been named Ram Durbar," he said.
This is the first time that any PP would be attending Dussehra in lucknow. The state BJP unit is planning to cash in on this and will set up lED screens in different parts of the state for the live telecast of the PM's Dussehra programme. "These lED screens would be put up at important places across the state,” he Agarwal.