Delhi Ramlila Committee to Burn 30-Foot Cockroach Effigy Alongside Ravana on Dussehra, Citing Need to Eliminate Filth

Yugcharan News / 16-10-2026

NEW DELHI: The Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee has announced plans to burn a 30-foot-tall cockroach-shaped effigy alongside the traditional effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad during this year’s Dussehra celebrations in Delhi. The committee said the unusual addition is intended to highlight the need to eliminate filth and unhygienic conditions from homes, neighbourhoods and society.

According to committee president Ashok Goel Devaraha, who is also the Model Town MLA, the cockroach will serve as a symbolic representation of dirt and unhygienic surroundings. The effigy is scheduled to be burned at the committee’s grounds in Pitampura, near the Netaji Subhash Place area, as part of the annual Vijayadashami celebrations.

The announcement comes at a time when the national capital is witnessing protests by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls. The committee’s decision has consequently drawn attention because of the timing, although Devaraha’s stated explanation centres on cleanliness and the removal of filth from society.

Cockroach Effigy to Join Traditional Dussehra Ritual

Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is celebrated across India to mark the victory of good over evil. The burning of Ravana’s effigy is among the festival’s most recognisable traditions, accompanied in many places by the burning of effigies representing Kumbhakarna and Meghnad, figures associated with the Ramayana.

The Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee plans to retain these traditional elements while adding the oversized cockroach effigy to this year’s event. Devaraha said the festival conveys the message that truth ultimately prevails over falsehood and righteousness triumphs over unrighteousness.

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, he said the committee had previously used effigies to draw attention to problems affecting the country. These have included representations of issues such as Naxalism and terrorism, according to his statement to news agency ANI.

The committee has now selected a cockroach as a symbol of filth, with the stated objective of encouraging people to recognise the importance of cleanliness not only inside their homes but also in their immediate surroundings and the wider community.

Devaraha described the planned effigy as a prominent addition to the celebrations. Standing 30 feet tall, it is expected to be a striking feature of the event at the Pitampura grounds.

Committee Emphasises Cleanliness at Three Levels

The committee president said the campaign behind the symbolic effigy focuses on three areas: individual homes, surrounding neighbourhoods and society as a whole.

According to Devaraha, the intention is to communicate that unhygienic conditions should not be treated as a minor inconvenience. Instead, cleanliness must be addressed at the household level and through collective responsibility for public spaces.

The choice of a cockroach is intended to make that message immediately recognisable to visitors attending the celebrations. Cockroaches are commonly associated with dirty and unhygienic environments, making the insect a visual symbol for the issue the committee wants to highlight.

Devaraha said the committee’s decision was motivated by the belief that the country, its communities and local neighbourhoods should be free from filth in all its forms.

The announcement also reflects how organisers of large public festivals sometimes use traditional gatherings to communicate messages beyond the religious significance of the occasion. By incorporating a contemporary social theme into a familiar ritual, the committee aims to draw public attention to an issue it considers important.

However, the committee’s stated objective is a symbolic one. Burning an effigy does not itself resolve sanitation problems, which generally require regular waste collection, proper disposal systems, clean public spaces and sustained participation from residents and civic authorities.

Announcement Comes Amid CJP Protests in Delhi

The decision has emerged against the backdrop of demonstrations organised by the Cockroach Janta Party in the national capital. The group has been involved in protests against political and election-related issues, including demands for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

According to the report, the party staged protests against then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in June and July. Its current demand concerns alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls.

The allegations surrounding the electoral process remain distinct from the Ramlila committee’s explanation for its proposed effigy. The committee has described the cockroach as a symbol of filth and unhygienic conditions, while the CJP has been associated with demonstrations over political and electoral concerns.

The timing has nevertheless placed the announcement within a broader public discussion surrounding the party’s activities in Delhi. Any interpretation linking the effigy directly to the protests would require further confirmation from the organisers beyond the explanation provided in the report.

Proposed Tiranga Rally Adds to Security Preparations

Separately, CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke has proposed a rally under the slogan “Lehra Do Tiranga” for Friday, October 16. The proposed demonstration has prompted security preparations in central Delhi, particularly around Connaught Place.

Security personnel have been deployed in and around the area to maintain law and order ahead of the planned gathering at Central Park. The development has also led to heightened attention to public access and traffic arrangements in the vicinity.

The protest-related preparations are taking place alongside the city’s wider festival activities. Delhi authorities and security agencies routinely face the task of managing public gatherings, traffic movement and crowd safety during periods when demonstrations and major events occur in busy parts of the capital.

The planned rally and the Ramlila committee’s Dussehra programme are separate developments. Nevertheless, both have attracted attention in the capital on the same day, bringing together the city’s festival calendar and the ongoing political demonstrations.

Dussehra Celebrations Combine Tradition and Public Messaging

The proposed cockroach effigy represents a departure from the traditional figures usually burned during Dussehra, but the committee says the addition follows its earlier practice of using symbolic effigies to highlight problems affecting society.

For the organisers, the central message remains the removal of what they consider harmful elements from public life. The traditional burning of Ravana and his associates represents the triumph of good over evil, while the additional effigy is intended to extend that symbolism to cleanliness and sanitation.

The effectiveness of such messaging will ultimately depend on whether it encourages sustained attention to the underlying issue. Keeping homes and neighbourhoods clean requires individual responsibility as well as functioning municipal services, adequate sanitation infrastructure and cooperation among residents.

The 30-foot cockroach effigy is expected to become one of the more unusual visual features of this year’s celebrations at the Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee grounds in Pitampura. The committee’s announcement has attracted attention because of both the size of the effigy and the timing of the decision amid the CJP’s protests.

As preparations continue, the committee’s stated objective is to use the occasion of Vijayadashami to reinforce its message that filth should be eliminated from homes, neighbourhoods and society. The planned ritual will take place alongside the traditional burning of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad, preserving the festival’s established symbolism while adding a contemporary theme chosen by the organisers.