Patna, Sept. 29: A day before Ravan Vadh celebrations, Mohammad Jafar Alam from Gaya was busy giving the final touches to the effigies of Ravan, Kumbhakaran and Meghnad at Gandhi Maidan today, and the organisers surveyed the last-minute arrangements.

'This year, Ravan has been fashioned in the Rajasthani style and a fancy dress has been used to give the structure an attractive look,' Alam told The Telegraph while working. 'We have tried our best to make the show fascinating and precautions have been taken in case it rains. We have wrapped plastic around the effigy so that even in light rain it will burn. If there is a heavy downpour, the plastic would not be able to take the load though.'

Alam, now 46 years old, has been making effigies since he was 12. This time Ravan's effigy is 70 feet high, his brother's 60 feet high and son Meghnad's 60 feet high - all up by 5 feet since last year. On making effigies for Dussehra, he said: 'I enjoy making effigies and I have been brought up in a surrounding where there was no hatred between Hindus and Muslims. Even my father, Mohammad Noor, who died at the age of 65 made these effigies for all his life.'

To make the effigies, Alam has used 800m cloth, 400 sacks, 200 bamboos, 300kg paper, 80kg wheat flour, 350kg hay, 100kg string and 30kg paint. All the artists working on the structures are Muslims and come from Gaya and Nalanda districts.

Mohammad Istiyaq, another artist in the group, said he learnt the art of making effigies while making tazias (miniature representations of tombs used during Muharram) that go up to 30-40 feet.

Rajesh Bajaj, treasurer of the Sri Dussehra Committee Trust, which has been organising Vijaya Dashami celebrations at the Gandhi Maidan over the years, was among the representatives present on the ground to monitor the work.

Workers were already at hand to set the effigies upright for tomorrow's celebrations under order of Patna district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal.

To ensure the effigies burn completely, Bajaj said, 'pouch filled with kerosene and camphor is being fitted' inside the structures so that they burn even in rain.

The organisers will begin the programme with bursting confetti and releasing around 10,000 balloons after which the effigies will be set on fire. The organisers said there will be 15 minutes of extra show with crackers bought from Patna City trader Illahi Baksh like every year.

Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, chief minister Nitish Kumar, deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary will be present during the Ravan Vadh programme.

On the money spent on the Vijaya Dashami celebrations, Trust secretary Arun Kumar said: 'The money is collected through donation and some people donate anonymously too. We have ended up spending around Rs 10 lakh on the complete programme, including making the jhanki (tableau) of Ram-Laxman and Hanuman.'

The organisers have taken precautions to complete the programme peacefully as on two occasions in the past, it had to face embarrassment. In 2011, Ravan's effigy did not burn down and in 2013, 33 people died in a stampede.

The Patna district administration has made its own preparations too, and adequate number of police jawans will be deployed inside and outside the iconic Gandhi Maidan. A security mock drill was already conducted yesterday in the presence of Nitish.

MIND THE TRAFFIC TODAY

• Restriction on vehicles, except emergency vehicles such as ambulance and fire brigade, and permitted vehicles (with orange and green passes issued by the district administration), around the Gandhi Maidan circle from 1pm till the end of Ravan Vadh 

• Only vehicles of governor, chief minister, deputy chief minister, Speaker and other ministers allowed from Dakbungalow to Gandhi Maidan

• Restriction on vehicle movement from Bhattacharya Road to Gandhi Maidan; Ram Ghulam Chowk to JP roundabout; from IMA hall, hotel Panache, Twin Tower and hotel Maurya

• Parking and foodcarts restricted from JP roundabout to Dakbungalow and Station Road

• Parking restriction at Gandhi Maidan: Vehicles to park at AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies and SK Memorial Hall

• Diversion for vehicles coming towards Gandhi Maidan on Bailey Road to Beer Chand Patel Path from Income Tax roundabout

• Parents going to the show with children must keep a note in their wards’ pockets with full address and mobile numbers

• Durga Puja committees to bring idols for immersion near Gandhi Maidan after the end of Ravan Vadh