Work here is being carried out on war footing to prepare effigies of Ravana and his brothers Meghnad and Kumbhkaran.
Year after year, Muslim artisans from Uttar Pradesh come especially to Fatehgarh Sahib district to prepare effigies of Ravana. The tradition has not been broken for the last several decades.
50-year-old Amerudeen, a resident of UP's Muzzafarnagar district, who is busy in preparing the effigies in Mandi Gobindgarh here, said several Muslim artists from UP had come to Punjab to make effigies of the demon king.
He said they spend a week's time to prepare an effigy, adding that they enjoy making the structures even though they are meant for a Hindu festival.
"For us, all religions are alike. We do not have any religious differences in our mind," Amerudeen said.
However, he said the cost of making these effigies had shot up.
"With the rise in the input cost, some organisers have cut down on the height and number of effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnath," he said.
Artisans rued that the interest of people was gradually declining with the rise in investment costs.
