Patna: Thousands gathered at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on Thursday evening expecting to witness the grand burning of Ravana’s effigy, the climactic moment of Dussehra celebrations. Instead, they watched in disappointment as heavy rain caused the figure to collapse and “melt” before it could be set alight.
The downpour began just as the effigy-burning ritual, symbolising the victory of good over evil, was about to start. Organisers hesitated to proceed amid the downpour, and despite the crowd’s patience, the ceremony was eventually abandoned.
Families, children and elderly spectators who had waited hours for the traditional spectacle left the venue disheartened. “We come every year to see Lanka Dahan, but this time the rain spoiled everything,” said one attendee.
The burning of Ravana effigies is a central feature of Dussehra festivities across India, marking Lord Rama’s triumph over the demon king in the Ramayana. While the ritual could not be carried out at Gandhi Maidan, smaller events in other parts of the city reportedly went ahead.
Despite the setback, celebrations elsewhere in the country continued, reaffirming the festival’s enduring message: the victory of good over evil.
