In this village, Ravan is killed, not burned

Bhilwara: Across India, Dussehra ends with flames—an effigy of Ravan set alight to mark the triumph of good over evil. But in Ropa village of Bhilwara’s Shahpura area, tradition takes a different turn. Here, it is not Ravan Dahan (burning) but Ravan Vadh (slaying).At the centre of the village stands a permanent, 10-foot-tall cement statue of Ravan. Built around 100 years ago, it was not meant to be destroyed. Instead, every year before Dussehra, villagers repaint it, preparing it for a ritual that has continued for about a century: the symbolic killing of Ravan, performed not with fire, but with a bow and arrow.On Dussehra day, the village gathers at Ravan Chowk as children and youth take up roles from the Ramayana. A child dressed as Ram enacts the final act—Ravan Vadh—while crowds from nearby villages arrive to witness what locals consider both a tradition and a statement.