Last evening, I made my way to Girgaum Chowpatty - Mumbai’s best known seafronts where people converge for every important celebration. It is at one end of the Queen’s necklace (as Marine drive is popularly known) and unlike the Marine Drive, it has a beach. So, there is access to water. I have never been here for Dussera, so I thought I would practice some live sketching and street photography last evening. Dussera is a festival that celebrates Lord Rama’s triumph over Ravana.
I reached the place around 5:45pm, and entered the beach from the entrance opposite Cafe Ideal. It was easy to decide where to go. A big purple effigy of Ravana could be spotted easily. I started with sketching this in my travel sketchbook, using a graphite pencil on paper. With practice, I’m getting better at a sense of scale, so I find myself being able to translate things on paper with a better proportion. The Ravana effigy was surrounded by barricades which were guarded by Mumbai Police. As I got done with the sketch of the effigy, I made an attempt at a basic sketch of the Mumbai Police too, with a fire brigade in the background. As I was facing the effigy, to the back of me was a stage where the Ravan Leela was being performed.
As I was engrossed in my sketch, I didn't realise that a sea of people was forming behind me - I was closest to the barricade. The time to burn the effigy was close. Children were hoisted on their guardian’s backs, and phones were hoisted out of their pockets. The volunteers poured gasoline on the effigy. Everyone was waiting, phones ready to photograph and video (or livestream) the event. Once the volunteers got the cue from the Ramleela stage, the effigy was lit. In a manner of seconds, the idol was burnt and the structure fell to the ground. It is clear that precautions were made to keep the burning as efficient and quick as possible, so the idol was constructed accordingly.
As soon as Ravana fell, the phones went back into their pockets, the children were put back on the ground, and everyone started walking back - some home, most to the food counters at Chowpatty. The volunteers stayed back to clean up, as the cops made sure everything was in control.
Shot on the LeicaM10 + 35mm F2 Summicron
Sketched on 140gsm paper with a graphite pencil
