A major commotion broke out at the national Dussehra fair in Rajasthan's Kota when an elephant carrying the idol of Lord Laxminarayan in a grand procession suddenly went out of control. The royal procession began from Garh's Darikhana after traditional rituals and reached the Dussehra ground. As the elephant entered the venue, it lost control despite the mahout's attempts and charged towards the crowd, creating panic. As per the information, people screamed in fear and tried to escape as many jumped across barricades and some even fell in the rush. The elephant also rammed into an electric pole near the barricading, bringing it down. Although no one came under the elephant’s feet, otherwise the incident could have turned into a major tragedy.
Lord Laxminarayan's procession with pageantry
The divine procession featured several tableaux, including depictions of the battle between Lord Ram's army and Ravana's army. The demons rode on horses while the vanar sena fought with maces in hand. The crowd also cheered the dramatic performance of Goddess Kalika slaying demons in her fierce form. Devotees lining both sides of the route chanted slogans in praise of Lord Laxminarayan, while cultural performances were presented by members of the Sahariya and Bhil tribes.
India's tallest Ravana effigy fails to burn completely
Kota, which is known for erecting the tallest Ravana effigy in the country, saw a setback during the burning ritual. Due to rains a day earlier, the massive effigy of Ravana was damp and could not burn completely. Though the explosives inside ignited, large portions of the effigy, including Ravana's torso and Kumbhkaran's face, remained intact. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma left the venue before the burning was complete. The crowd too began dispersing midway leaving the event dampened. The rain took away much of the traditional fervour of the symbolic victory of good over evil.
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