Heavy rainfall on Thursday significantly disrupted Dussehra celebrations across Delhi, impacting the much-anticipated festivities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were unable to attend major events due to the unexpected downpour.
The Indraprastha Ramleela Committee had scheduled the Raavan Dahan ceremony with PM Modi’s attendance. However, rain damaged the effigies, leading to its cancellation. Suresh Bindal, president of the committee, confirmed the unfortunate news, stating, “The prime minister could not attend due to the rain. The effigies were damaged but were set on fire in the presence of Union Minister Harsh Malhotra, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, and MLA Arvinder Singh Lovely.
Similarly, Home Minister Amit Shah missed the Keshav Ramleela Committee’s event at DDA Ground, Netaji Subhash Place, Pitampura. BJP national general secretary Arun Singh replaced him as the chief guest for the effigy burning. Committee president Ashok Goyal Devaraha expressed disappointment but confirmed they would invite Shah again for next year’s celebrations.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that, until 5:30 pm, various sectors in the capital recorded significant rainfall, with Pitampura receiving 17.5 mm, Ridge 15.4 mm, and Mayur Vihar 9.5 mm.
Organisers across the city struggled to protect the effigies from the rain. Members of the Adarsh Ramleela Committee in Ashok Vihar expressed frustration, saying, “We tried to cover it with plastic, but most of it still got drenched. It seems Indra Dev wanted Ravan to drown rather than burn this year.”
At Pitampura’s Aryan Heritage Foundation, organiser Anil Garg remarked, “Around 10% of the effigy got drenched despite plastic covers. Waterlogging occurred, but we hope the Dahan goes well.”
Similarly, treasurer Nitin Gupta of the Hanumant Dharmik Ramleela Committee in East Delhi noted, “The rain came as a shock and delayed preparations. We are now using petrol and diesel to ensure the effigy catches fire.” Despite the setbacks, enthusiasm remained among those determined to maintain the spirit of Dussehra amid challenging weather conditions.
