What Raavan Means To Muslim Artisans During Dusshera

“We don’t know what Raavan means to others, nor are we interested in knowing about it. We only know that we earn lakhs of rupees monthly due to Raavan. That is the reason we have huge respect for Raavan.”

These are the words of Mohammmad Muslim, 57, who has been making Raavan effigies for the past 27 years. Muslims have been making the biggest Raavan effigy at Ranchi in Jharkhand, which the Chief Minister burns at Morabadi ground. He informed Outlook that his team has prepared six effigies of Raavan that will be burnt at different locations in the city.

The effigy that the Chief Minister will be burning this time is 66 feet high. The team has received Rs 2.75 lakhs for the same. Muslim says that it took the team of 12 members a month to create six effigies, for which they have received Rs 10 lakhs. It is worth mentioning that according to tradition, every year since the formation of the state, the Chief Minister burns the effigy of Raavan at Morabadi Ground in Ranchi.

After Nana (grandfather), Mamu (maternal uncle), now grandson, also makes Raavan's effigy.

45-year-old Mohammad Sonu, too, considers Ravan a source of income. That is why he refrains from saying anything negative about Raavan. While talking to Outlook, he says he has been following the family tradition. Earlier, his maternal grandfather, Mohammad Noor, used to prepare the effigy of Raavan in Jharkhand. At present, he, along with two of his maternal uncles, Afsar and Zafar, have been doing this work. 

Sanjay Krishna, in his book, Jharkhand Ke Parv tyohar, Mele, Aur Paryatan Sthal (Festivals, fairs and tourist spots in Jharkhand), informs that the tradition of burning Raavan effigy started in Ranchi in the year 1948. After the partition of the country, refugees who came to Ranchi from different areas of Pakistan celebrated Vijayadashmi by burning Raavan. Every year, on the occasion of Vijayadashami, the ‘Raavan Dahan’ programme in Ranchi is the centre of attraction for city dwellers. It was started by the Punjabi Hindu Biradari Dussehra Committee, Ranchi. Later, other organisations in Jharkhand also started the tradition of burning Ravan effigy.

Sanjay Krishna, the book's author, says that Muslim artisans prepare the effigy of Raavan in Jharkhand. These artisans belong to Gaya and have been coming here for many decades.

According to Hindu mythology, Raavan may be a demon. Still, for these Muslim artisans, Raavan is a means of earning lakhs. At the same time, Ravan is a revered hero for the tribals of Jharkhand. Like Mahishasura, the tribals also call Raavan their ancestor and oppose its burning on the day of Vijayadashami.

An interesting story related to Raavan’s effigy prepared by Muslim artisans is that the former Chief Minister of the state, Shibu Soren, refused to burn it in 2008. ‘Dishom Guru’ Shibu Soren considered Raavan his Kulguru (ancestral godfather).

This is the first incident in the past 24 years when a Chief Minister refused to burn Raavan's effigy. All the Chief Ministers, before and after this incident, had been involved in burning Raavan's effigies. 

(Translated by Kaveri Mishra)