A designer makeover awaits demon king Ravan at Gandhi Maidan this Dussehra.

Preparations for making the effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad are on in full swing on the campus of Bharat Scouts and Guides, Bihar, located near Patna Museum.

Almost 12 people are engaged in the work under the guidance of Ashok Kumar Sudhakar, a fine arts student of Banaras Hindu University.

"This year, the effigies of the troika - Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad - would be dressed in designer clothes. We have hired a fashion designer from New Delhi, Ashish Jaiswal, to prepare the dresses of the three demons," Sudhakar said while instructing the people cutting the bamboos.

Ashish, a final-year fashion designing student of Pearl Academy, Delhi, showcased his collection of garments at the Milan-based NABA, which is internationally ranked among the world's best schools of design.

Sudhakar, who his friends call Bachcha Bhaiya, made his first Ravan effigy at the age of six and got his first professional assignment at 15 in 1998.

Unlike the Rajasthani and Punjabi style of effigies, prepared in 2015, Ravan's effigy will be in the Bihari style, and have its mouth wide open. The Lanka Vatika - where Sita was held captive by Ravan - will also be separate unlike last year. "Lanka would have a digital touch with a golden colour. The burning of the effigy would be the real attraction. Visitors will enjoy it a lot because we will use eco-friendly crackers producing less smoke brought especially from Calcutta. We are taking special care of people whose trust has helped us organise this event for past many years," said Sudhakar.

Ravan's effigy will be 70ft tall and those of Kumbhkarn and Meghnad will be 65ft and 60ft respectively. The waterproof effigies will be shifted to Gandhi Maidan on October 9, two days before the Ravan Vadh celebrations.

To make all three effigies, Sudharkar said it takes around 300 bamboos, 20kg of coconut ropes, two quintals of old newspapers and 600m of clothes.

Sudhakar is the same person under whose guidance the Ravan effigy was built in 2011, which had stooped before it could burn.

On the reason of giving the contract to Sudhakar, Arun Kumar, secretary of Sri Dussehra Committee Trust that has been organising the Vijaya Dashami celebrations at Gandhi Maidan for the past 60 years, said: "I accept that the contract is given to the same person but humans do make mistakes and they learn from those. Moreover, heavy rain had disrupted the show (in 2011). You must enjoy the celebrations this time, it would be historic."

Chief minister Nitish Kumar will be present on the occasion and Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary will be chief guest at the event.

Till now, the trust has not convened any meeting with the district administration but its members expect that they would get all possible support.

Another addition to this year's celebrations is Ram Leela, which will be organised after a gap of eight years at Naga Baba Thakurbari in Kadamkuan from October 4 to 13.