The pandemic will not stop the ritual of felling Ravana on Dussehra — only it will be online without spectators.

Effigies (20ft each) of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakarna will be set on fire at the Central Park in Salt Lake but all gates will be locked to prevent people from entering the park.

The Salt Lake Sanskritik Sansad, which organises Dussehra festivities every year, has not printed any invitation card this year. A few organising committee members and experts who handle the fireworks every year will be inside the park, along with a camera crew. The proceedings will be streamed live on Facebook.

In 2019, more than 25,000 people had gathered at the Central Park where 60ft-tall effigies had been set on fire. Artists from various states, including Rajasthan had been brought for song and dance shows. The fireworks had continued for more than 45 minutes. And there was food for everyone present on the ground.

Apart from Facebook, the organisers will make videos on YouTube. There is a dedicated website for people to log in and watch the proceedings free of cost, an organising committee member said.

Sanjay Agarwal, the secretary of the Salt Lake Sanskritik Sansad, said the group did not want to take any chance and put people at risk of getting infected with the coronavirus.

“So, we have decided to hold the festivities online. We will not allow more than a dozen people inside the park. Most of them will be those who set the effigies on fire,” Agarwal said.

Celebrated on the last day of Durga Puja, Dussehra is held on Vijaya Dashami to mark the triumph of good over evil.