Inside Delhi's largest effigy market

Brut India

In these narrow lanes of Delhi, Ravana is the king and much in demand — but only to be burnt on the occasion of Dussehra.

Transcript

00:00It takes 10-12 days for one Ravan to get ready.

00:04We took 2 months and they burnt it in 3 seconds.

00:07We make the biggest Ravan of 50ft.

00:10These people make 60 Ravan effigies every year during the Shehra.

00:15Brut is here to find out what all goes behind running one of the biggest effigy markets in Asia.

00:30Situated between the narrow stretch of Delhi's Subhash Nagar and Tegore Garden, there's a locality known as Pitarpur,

00:41where not only men, but women and their children work day and night, breathing life into the many Ravans.

00:48Everyone is involved in this. People come from outside.

00:52Neighbours, neighbours, everyone. It's like a Dussehra festival.

00:57Even the kids are happy doing this.

00:59Some like to do the Kalak, some like to do the Lahi.

01:02Some have fun while doing the work.

01:07Some do it for their hobbies, some for their personal life, to earn some money.

01:12This is a job for everyone.

01:14There's no one free.

01:16The Ravan Balas start preparing the body parts of Ravan 2 months in advance.

01:21We work on Ravan's face.

01:23Then we work on his body parts.

01:26Then we work on his moustache, his eyes, his nose.

01:30We don't have time to eat.

01:32We don't know when to eat.

01:34We eat in the morning and don't know when to eat in the evening.

01:36We just had tea. We don't know when to eat.

01:38We don't know when to drink water.

01:40Our mouths get dry.

01:41According to the artisans, carving the face and the chest is the most difficult part of the process.

01:47This is the most difficult part.

01:49The face is the most difficult part.

01:52What is the most difficult part?

01:53We have to cut the meat.

01:55We have to make it round and round.

01:58Our hands and feet get cut.

02:00The chest is the most difficult part.

02:02If we don't make the chest strong, Ravan won't stand.

02:06The chest is the most difficult part.

02:08How long does it take to make the chest?

02:10It takes 20-25 days.

02:13The framework is built with bamboo sticks.

02:15Bamboo sticks are tied together with steel wires.

02:18This is followed by wrapping the frame with old sarees and later with khaki paper.

02:23A colored paper or a glazed paper is pasted over the model using lehi as a glue,

02:29which is then painted and decorated once it dries.

02:32We make it from 5 feet to 50 feet.

02:34The rate of Ravan starts from Rs.1500 and goes up to Rs.20.

02:39This is of 50 feet.

02:41This is the biggest set.

02:45The price of this is Rs.35,000.

02:48A small Ravan of 1 foot costs Rs.200-250.

02:52The artisans had such things shipped to various cities such as Agra, Mathura, Vrindavan, Sonipat,

02:58and countries like Australia too.

03:00It has been shipped to Australia.

03:02It has been shipped to Australia.

03:04I think it has been shipped 3 months before Rakhi.

03:093 pieces are shipped.

03:103 faces, 3 heads.

03:13It is not a big content.

03:16It will be shipped.

03:18How much did it cost to ship it to Australia?

03:20It was around Rs.1,20,000.

03:22As the whole village comes together to deliver orders from across India,

03:26the main concerns of the artisans are the unpredictable rains and theft.

03:30One of the biggest tensions of Ravan is that people avoid buying it.

03:35They steal it.

03:37They steal someone's face, someone's hands, someone's chest.

03:42They steal someone's clothes.

03:44What do they do after that?

03:46I don't know.

03:47They burn their joints by stealing.

03:50You have to stay awake for 15 days.

03:52You have to take care of it.

03:54There are people who steal.

03:55After the ban on firecrackers, the artisans said that they are primarily involved in making BFGs.

04:01The decision about adding firecrackers is entirely up to the client.

04:05When Ravan burns in 3 seconds, how do you feel?

04:09Yes, we have to think once that it burned very quickly.

04:12But when we get the money, we don't feel so bad.

04:15It makes a difference.

04:16It takes 2 months of hard work.

04:18When it burns, we remember our hard work.

04:21We took 2 months and they burned it in 3 seconds.

04:26People say that Ravan should not be burnt because of pollution.

04:30What would you like to say about that?

04:31We don't believe in such things.

04:33Dusshera has been going on since the beginning.

04:35It has not stopped till now.

04:36It will not stop in the future.

04:37Ravan has to be sacrificed and it will be done.

04:39If Ravan survives, we will make our Dusshera here in Parag.

04:42Once the festive season is over, the artisans will return to their professions

04:47such as farming, driving cabs and even painting

04:50only to return next year for the love of their craft.

04:55Dusshera

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