New Delhi/Jaipur, Oct 1 (PTI) The Ravana effigies, crafted with so much care, were set to go up in flames on Dussehra. But the skies opened up instead, leaving hundreds of artisans scrambling to salvage what they could and despairing over how they will ever recover their losses.

On Wednesday, a day before Dussehra and a day after a sudden downpour in many places in north India, craftpersons were busy trying to cut short their losses. Just two days ago, they were putting final touches to the brightly coloured demon heads and loading their ware onto trucks to be transported for the festive fireworks.

It was to have been a Happy Dussehra. But that is not to be. From Jaipur to New Delhi, that is the refrain.

Business was brisk and Mahendra Pal, a seasoned face at west Delhi’s bustling Titar

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