On Tuesday the monsoon season officially came to an end in the entire of India, and the rainfall persists in various parts. The state of Rajasthan has already given heavy rain alerts on Wednesday. Torrential rain fell on Tuesday and Jaipur, Sikar and some other districts. Two hours of rainfall in Jaipur reduced streets to water filled areas.
Water had swelled in certain areas of Jaipur by 2 to 3 feet. even the effigies of Ravana, ready to receive the Dussehra festivities, were floating in water. Kota also had a Ravana effigy that was soaked in 221 feet. It is said to be the biggest Ravana effigy in the world. Meteorological Department has cautioned of heavy rainfall in the State of Rajasthan on Dussehra, October 2.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the amount of rainfall received in this year during the monsoon season (June to September) was 8 percent above normal. Usually, 868.6mm of rainfall falls on India during these four months with this year registering 937.2mm.
Incidences that were caused by the weather this year resulted in the death of 1,520 people in the country. Among those, 935 people perished because of floods and heavy rain, and 570 people died because of lightning and storms. Madhya Pradesh had the greatest number of deaths, 290.
The IMD also stated that the trend of rainfall would persist between October to December. There may be 15% excess rainfall in October than usual. Above-normative post-monsoon rainfall can also fall on the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Karnataka.
In order to prepare Ravana effigies, the families had borrowed money to buy one. Their efforts were ruined at the hands of heavy rains, and they lost almost 3 million INR. The wet effigies could not be sold, and there were concerns on how the loans would be repaid.
The tragedy brings to the fore the life of the families in Jaipur who make their livelihood as makers of Ravana effigies. One hour of rain on Tuesday evening ruined the months of their hard work. The effigies they prepared were wetted and water poured into the little houses they had constructed along the road sides. Effigies were being made in multiple places, such as SFS Chowk and Gurjar Ki Thadi by workers.
Reporters went to the shelters of such families to get to know their suffering. The circumstances were miserable. Water was piled up in their shelters, the stoves had not been lit by afternoon, the children were hungry, and the women were crying. The workers gazed at the effigies of Ravana soaked in water with hopelessness. Months of work and hopes were washed away in their faces.
