If you have been looking for a reason and season to pack your bags and start exploring some wonderful places near you, then here comes a festival for you. Dussehra, one of the major festivals in India is celebrated with great zeal and festivity all across India. The charming weather and festive spirit make it a perfect time for travelling. Here we are sharing places that are famous for their Dusshera celebration.
Navratri 2024 in India will begin on Thursday, 03 October 2024 and ends on Saturday, 12 October 2024
Here we go:
Best Celebrations of Dussehra In New Delhi
Delhi:- After nine days of Durga Goddess worship and fasting, the Dussehra festival is celebrated in a most dramatic way signifying the victory of Rama over Ravana. At Ramlila Maidan and Red Fort lawns, popular Ramlila shows are held and the entire atmosphere gets filled with recitals and the religious music of Ramayana. On the last day of the festival, the burning of the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakaran, and Meghanath followed by amazing fireworks attracts a huge crowd. More than 250 puja pandals and 1000 Ramlila events are held during this festival season.
Best Places To Eat In Delhi
Durga Puja Pandals in Kolkata
Kolkata, West Bengal:- Durga Puja or Dussehra is a 5-day long cultural extravaganza starting from the 6th day until the 9th day during Navratri and the 10th day being the Durga Visarjan. The Kolkata people believe that Goddess Durga visits her home during this time period. This unforgettable event includes huge pandals, minarets, dome, crowded streets, magnificent lightning, mountains cliffs etc. On Vijaydashmi, immersion of Idols takes place.
Dussehra in Varanasi
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh:- A huge crowd of holy sages and devotees get attracted to the city of Ganges to admire Ramlila dance drama which depicts the story and struggles of Rama, Sita and Lakshman in 14 years of exile and how they finally good wins over bad. Ramnagar location (15 Km from Varanasi) is quite popular for such kinds of shows. The whole of Ramnagar town represents the various scenes for Ashok Vatika, Panchavati, Janakpuri, Lanka etc. At Vijaydashmi, when Ram kills Ravana, the whole Ramlila ground lit up with an amazing firework show. Rama and Bharata meet termed as Bharat Milaap Episode is enacted the next day of Dusshera.
Mysore Dussehra Celebrations
Mysore, Karnataka:- Mysore Dasara or Nadahabba is 10 days long state festival of Karnataka. Every single day Mysore palace gets illuminated with at least 100,000 light bulbs and on Vijayadashami Dasara procession Jumboo Savari is carried out on streets. Goddess Chamundeshwari idol yatra is the important attraction of Jumboo Savari. The idol is placed in a golden mantapa on a highly-decorated elephant. On the night of Vijayadashami, Dusshera festival culminates with an event at Bannimantap grounds termed as Panjina Kavayithu or torch-light parade. The entire Mysore city gets illuminated with lights.
Kullu Dussehra of Himachal Pradesh, India
Kullu, Himachal Pradesh:- Observed in the month of October, Kullu Dusshera is the popular festival of Kullu Valley which is celebrated in the Dhalpur Maidan. Along with Goddess Hadimba, 200 local deities have been brought to the Temple of Raghunathji to celebrate seven days festival of Dusshera. Setting a heap of wood and grass on fire on the bank of Beas River puts an end to this festival. More than 5 lakh people across the globe get attracted to enjoy Kullu version of Dussehra every year.
Navaratri Festival in Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Ahmedabad, Gujarat:- It’s a heavenly place to celebrate nine days Navratri and Dussehra festival. These nine days depicts nine forms of Maa Shakti and people dedicatedly keep fast and follows fast-breaking rituals. The main focus point is the folk dance of Gujarat, Garba, which is carried out till late mid-night every nine days after performance of Aarti of Goddess Shakti. Ahmedabad is decorated with colours and lights and on the 8 and 9th days of Navratri, people offer prayers to Maa Durga. The next day of Navratri, Dussehra is celebrated to enjoy the victory of Lord Rama over the evil Ravana.
Famous Bastar Dussehra, a 75-day Unique Festival
Bastar, Chhattisgarh:- All the deities from nearby villages get together at the temple of Danteshwari in Jagdalpur during Dusshera. At Bastar, Dusshera is for 75 days beginning from Amavasya (dark moon) in the month of Shravan and ending on the 13th day of the bright moon in the month of Ashvin. The tribes celebrate Dusshera as a congregation of Devi Mavli, and all her sisters. Grand processions are carried out in a double-decker chariot.