by editor
As the New Year approaches, and each one is engrossed in planning to celebrate it in their own way and what better way to do this than to bring in the new year by burning the old man.
In Belagavi the Kamble Family from Khanapur Road Camp has been into making these old man effigies for the past 25 plus years.
Sashikala Kamble started this as another addition to the family income and now her family members work elsewhere take out time for a week and make about 25-30 old man effigies from 2 feet to 15 feet.
Made of hay, bamboo and paper, the old man represents all the sorrows of the year gone by that are to be burned away before the new year begins. Commonly referred to as Mr. Old Man the effigy burning symbolizes the burning of all the gloom the previous year contained. Originating in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the tradition dates back to 1924.
This year the old man is up for sale here starting from Rs. 600 to 2000 and already half of the effigies have been booked. The painting work would begin soon and all the old man effigies would be delivered by 31 afternoon.
A SIMPLE QUESTION IS THAT ” DOES NOT THE CUSTOM OF BURNING OLD MAN GO AGAINST OUR TRADITION RESPECT YOUR ELDERS”
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Our own Indian traditions have some things that need to be questioned first. Do we not burn Raavan during Dasara.?
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