Effigies a lot flaming smaller

IT is one of the most famous Hindu festivals in the world, celebrating a symbolic victory of good over evil with the burning of three gigantic effigies.

But in Edinburgh this year, the spectacle of Dusshera will not quite measure up – because of health and safety fears.

Last year, Edinburgh prisoners created effigies up to 40ft high for the event which can be traced back more than 5000 years. And while it made for an impressive sight on Calton Hill, the flaming statues also sparked safety concerns.

Organisers today admitted they had asked for this year's effigies to be significantly scaled back.

Mohindra Dhall, president of the Scottish Indian Arts Forum, which is organising the event, said the prisoners had once again produced the effigies but this time at about two thirds of the size.

"From a health and safety point of view I was told that last year's effigies were fairly hazardous, and there were a few concerns expressed, so we have decided to scale them down this year," he said.

"Apart from that we found it was very difficult to get them up to Calton Hill, and then to get them assembled, so hopefully we won't have that problem this year.

"The work by the prisoners has again been fantastic – we like to give them a free hand to make these effigies, and they have decided to make statues with 20 arms, which looks great. As well as that, some of the detail they have painted on is extraordinary."

Dusshera celebrates Rama's killing the Demon King Ravana, and liberation of his wife Sita – a symbol of the victory of good over evil as portrayed in the great Indian epic Ramayana.

The three effigies – representing the evil king Ravana and his henchmen – are traditionally the centrepiece of the ancient Hindu festival, and are burned in an act symbolising the defeat of the forces of evil.

Barry Fowler, unit manager at Saughton prison, said: "We have scaled down the effigies this year – they are probably about two thirds the size – as I think we maybe got a bit carried away before. So they are smaller, but the prisoners have put in a lot of work on them.

"We have some very creative prisoners and it is good to see that creativity being put to a positive use to give something back to the community."

This year's festival will start at the Castle Esplanade at 4.30pm on Sunday, where a parade will assemble before leading crowds down the Royal Mile and up to Calton Hill, where events are expected to start at 6pm.

The route has been agreed with the organisers after they were told they would not be able to use the traditional route along Princes Street due to the tram works.