Dussehra is a festival that is celebrated all over India. Many places celebrate this festival in a grand way. There are several cities where it is famous for the celebration of Dussehra. Here are five top places that are famous for celebrating this festival in a grand way.
Mysore
Mysore has been celebrating this festival since the 15th century during the era of the Vijayanagara Empire. Even now, this celebration goes on for at least 10 days. Mysore is known for celebrating Dussehra or Dasara with regal traditions and royal grandeur. The Mysore palace is lighted up with at least 100000 lights for all these days and many programs and events are also held in the palace. On the day of Dussehra, a grand procession is carried out with the idol of Chamundeshwari. All in all, it is a sight to be seen for 10 days and you should at least see it once in your lifetime.
Delhi
If any place knows how to celebrate Dussehra, then it is definitely the capital of India. Unlike Mysore, it’s not just one place where Dussehra is celebrated. Several places in all over Delhi take part in this festival. But the most famous one is in Ramlila Maidan. Ram Leela, a play where the story of Dussehra is acted out by artists. On the day of Dussehra huge effigies of Ravana and his other two brothers are burned which signifies the good winning over the bad. Watching both the burning and the Ram Leela is a joy in itself.
Varanasi
Third in the list should be Varanasi, where the start of Navratri makes the city come alive. This city is known for holding the oldest Ram Leela 200 years ago. Since then, Ramnagar Fort has been used as a stage for showcasing Ram Leela every year. Apart from effigies being burned on the day of Dussehra, many carnivals are organised where people go to enjoy the music, the show and, of course, the food.
Bastar
Last on the list should be Bastar. The state of Chattisgarh has a history of celebrating Dussehra in a way which no other place in India celebrates. The very first time it was celebrated was in the 15th century during the rule of Maharaja Purushaottam Deo. Bastar is all about worshipping Devi Danteshwari. There are several unique rituals performed within these ten days of Navratri. Pata Jatra (worship of wood), Kalash Staphna (pot installation), deri gadhai (pillar posting), kachan gaadi (installation of the throne for Devi Kachan), muria durbar (meeting of tribal chiefs), Nisha Jatra (nocturnal festival), and ohadi (farewell to deities) are some of those famous rituals. People like to dress up in traditional dresses and dance to the tune of drums.
So, choose your destination in this festive season and enjoy the city’s celebration of Dussehra.
Author Bio: I am Sagarika Ganguly. I love to write blogs on various topics. Subscribe if you want more informative and entertaining blogs!