Love's labour not lost as it goes up in smoke

It is during festivals that the secular spirit of people is on display and Dussehra, the festival that celebrates victory of good over evil, is no exception. We all are aware that the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarana and Meghnad are burnt on the day but how many of us know the people who make these effigies.
Meet Illiyas, Riazuddin and Ghiasuddin, three brother who have been making effigies for the annual Dussehra at Phase VIII since the past six years.The three are cousins and come from different cities in Uttar Pradesh. Illiyas is from Meerut, Riaz from Ghaziabad and Ghias from Mawana. The three get together during the festival to make the effigies in different places. “This is our family tradition,� says Illiyas the eldest of the three. “My father has been in this line for the last 80 years and I have been doing this for the past 36 years.�
The three bothers are well-versed with the tale of Lord Rama and say that when the effigies on which they have worked so hard turn to ashes within minutes, the reaction of the crowds who cheer the death of evil gives them satisfaction and at the same time, the motivation to come back next year and make even better effigies.
Illiyas has come to Mohali with his sons who have also taken up the family tradition. His cousins Riaz and Ghias are firework experts and will load the effigy with bombs and crackers.
“We have worked for years in Delhi and other cities in UP but we find the crowd at Mohali most appreciative of our work.� And their work too is special. “We make each part of the body separately and later join the pieces to complete the effigy only a night before the festival,� says Illiyas.
Would they ever consider giving up the profession for some other better paying work? “No,� chorus the three brothers. “We are financially well off and don’t really need to do this but it is our passion. We want to make better effigies year after year and entertain the people,� they add.
sandeep.joshi@timesgroup.com