Muslim artisans from Uttar Pradesh have returned to Jammu, along with their Hindu counterparts, to build effigies of demon king Ravana and his brothers for the upcoming Dussehra festival. Over 50 workers from a village in Meerut district arrived in Jammu on September 23, at the invitation of Shri Sanatam Dharam Sabha Geeta Bhawan. This tradition has been going on for 38 years, and they make the effigies for Dussehra celebrations in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Leh in Ladakh.
The main Dussehra event will take place at Parade ground in central Jammu. Effigies of Ravana, Meghnada, and Kumbhakarna will also be burnt at various other locations in the city, including Akhnoor, R S Pura, Bishna near the International Border, Gandhi Nagar near the Railway station, Channi, and Sainik colony. The artisans are working on massive bamboo structures that are over 50 feet tall.
The head contractor, Mohd Rehan, mentioned that all the workers are proud to work together. In addition to a dozen Muslim artisans, there are over 40 Hindu artisans, including Harijan and Kashyap Thakur workers. They work together and eat together without any discrimination. The temple management has shown trust in them, and they appreciate it. This tradition has been passed down through generations, and they are grateful for the warm welcome they receive from the people of Jammu.
Some of the Hindu workers also take the opportunity to visit the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine during their time in Jammu. Artisan Mohd Giyasuddin emphasized that there is no room for hatred in their work. They have even sent effigies to Srinagar in the past. Most of these artisans have other jobs back home for the rest of the year. Jasbir, who has been working with Rehan since 1998, mentioned that they have a strong team that has worked together for decades and have never faced any issues. They also have teams working in Delhi and Punjab. Lilu Kumar added that Hindus and Muslims are like a single family, and they are working tirelessly to meet the deadline for the effigies.
