Udupi: Come Dasara and we get to see many donning fancy clothes-some do it to make some quick money and others to fulfil their vows. However, here in Udupi lives man who wears fancy clothes so that someone in dire need for help may heave a sigh of relief.
Ravi Katapady is a daily wage worker who has lived in oblivion. Every Vitla Pindi festival, Ravi used to be one among many who splashed colour on their bodies and loitered the streets of Udupi. But, once that he got to know about a girl named Anvitha who was rendered immobile due to negligence of doctors during her birth, life never remained the same for Ravi.
The story moved Ravi so much that he decided to help people like Anvitha.
A corrective surgery for Anvitha cost Rs 1 Lakh and Ravi took to colours because he wanted to do his bit for the girl. The mission started with Vesha (Disguise) and Ravi collected the money needed. What Ravi started off four years ago with the help of his friend, today has grown into a movement involving 80 people.
While it is Ravi who is seen wearing the Veshas, his team helps in identifying children with immediate need of medical support in nearby areas.
Ravi has so far dressed up as Faun, one of the characters that appeared in the film, Pan’s Labyrinth, Lizardman of The Amazing Spiderman and characters from Mummy Returns. This year round he was dressed as Krampus, a horned, anthropomorphic character from Austro-Bavarian folklore and managed to raise Rs 5.12 Lakh to fund surgeries for seven children. Several people from across Mumbai and Dubai too have come forward to support him by donating money towards his noble endeavour.
Notably while Ravi’s costumes come across as creative and leaves an impression among the people, a tremendous amount of work goes behind the same. It takes close to 20 hours to get done with the entire process, after which he has to further undergo toil that prevents him from even eating or drinking for three days. Having to put paint directly on his skin as part of the makeup, Ravi has suffered from severe burns over the years. However none of this has deterred him from undertaking his mission.
In the past four years, Ravi has helped nearly 16 needy children without expecting anything in return besides the well being of these children and their families.
