Hamirpur, 24 October: In India, Vijayadashami festival will be celebrated everywhere by burning the effigy of Ravana, but there is a village in Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh where there is a tradition of not burning the effigy of Ravana on this day.
This tradition continues even today. On the contrary, in this village the idol of Ravana is worshiped on the day of Dussehra.
Villagers worship Ravana on the festival of Vijayadashami in Bihuni Kala village of Muskra block area of the district. A huge statue of Ravana is also installed in this village with a population of thousands.
During the Dussehra festival, the idol of Ravana has been painted and worshiped here.
Sarpanch representative of the village, Upendra Kumar said that there is a lot of enthusiasm for the worship of Ravana on the occasion of Vijayadashami festival in the village. The people of the village are worshiping Ravana with great devotion.
Har Swaroop Vyas, a prominent leader of the village head organization, said that Bihunikala is the only village in Hamirpur district where the festival of Dussehra is not celebrated. The entire village unites and bows its head in front of the statue of Ravana. On the day of Vijayadashami, people also decorate the statue of Ravana grandly.
A 10 feet high statue of Ravana is installed in the village.
Villagers told that a ten feet high and twenty handed statue of Ravana is installed in Bihunikala village. There is also a horse-like shape in the crown of Ravana’s statue. It has twenty hands. Apart from the main head of Ravana, nine heads are also present in the statue. The statue is also in sitting posture.
Pandit Dinesh Dubey told that Ravana was a great philosopher. He should not be insulted. That is why the tradition of not burning the effigy of Ravana continues in this village. It is noteworthy that a locality of the village is still inhabited by the name of Ravana Pati.
Ravana’s statue decorated with makeup on the day of Dussehra
Har Swaroop Vyas, the main leader of the village head organization, said that the tradition of burning effigies of Ravana continues in the entire country on the day of Vijayadashami festival. Vijayadashami is celebrated in cities, towns and rural areas. In Ramlila, there is a war between Shri Ram and Ravana. After the killing of Ravana, the brightness of Dussehra increases everywhere but in Bihunikala village of Hamirpur district, this festival has no color. The effigy of Ravana is not burnt here. He told that the big statue of Ravana has been decorated by painting it.
Coconuts are offered to Ravana’s statue with reverence
The tradition of celebrating this festival with great joy by burning the effigy of Ravana, the symbol of untruth, on Vijayadashami is still prevalent in Bundelkhand, but the opposite tradition is prevalent in Bihunikala village of Hamirpur.
Rajesh, who plays Ram, told that Ramlila is held in this village in the month of January but the effigy of Ravana is not burnt. This tradition is very old which is still followed in this village. People from the entire village offer coconuts to the statue of Ravana.
