Navratris begin today, but no nod for Ram Leela in Jalandhar

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 17

Even as Navratris are set to begin on Saturday, the district administration has so far given not permission to any Dasehra committee to hold Ram Leela or Dasehra mela in any of the localities of the city. The officials are in no mood to give permission for any fair owing to the pandemic and are awaiting state government’s guidelines for the same.

The Dasehra committees of Adarsh Nagar, Sodal road, Raseela Nagar, Ikehri Puli, Garha road, Guru Amardass Nagar and 120-road have already declared that they will not organise the event this year. The management of Kirti Nagar, near Ladowali Road, however, has plans to organise a small gathering for Ram Leela from tomorrow but will not hold the Dasehra mela. A short Shobha Yatra maintaining distance and symbolic burning of effigy of Ravana may just be organised in some mohallas, said area MLA Rajinder Beri.

Abhi Marwaha, who represents Adarsh Nagar Dasehra Committee, said, “We have been organising Dasehra mela in our locality grounds for years but this time, we have not made any preparations at all. We are neither organising Ram Leela nor holding any mela. We may just put up and light one small effigy in the mohalla for customary celebrations.

Sharvan Kumar, an effigy maker, said, “This time, I have got no orders for making Ravana effigy till date. But I am preparing a few small effigies just in case some mohalla residents come here for inquiry and purchase for a low-key celebrations.”

The civil and police officials said that they are waiting for the guidelines from the state government on the issue. “We are expecting the orders of the State on the issue tomorrow. Till that time, we will be withholding all permission requests,” said a senior administrative officer.

Gurpreet S Bhullar, Commissioner of Police, said, “So far, we have not permitted any Dasehra committee to hold Ram Leela or Dasehra event. We will take a final call only after the state government issues directions in this regard.”