Tonight, the whole of India is celebrating the same festival — Dussehra, also called Vijayadashami. But look at a map of the country, and you will see something surprising. Every region celebrates this one festival in a completely different way.
One Story: Good Wins Over Evil
Dussehra celebrates good winning over evil. In the north of India, it marks the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana — a famous story that people have told and retold for thousands of years. But the same victory is celebrated in very different styles across the country.
Delhi: Giant Statues and Fire
In Delhi and across the north, actors perform the Ramlila — plays that retell Rama's story over many nights. Then, on Dussehra, giant statues of Ravana are set on fire in open grounds, with cheers and fireworks. The biggest of these statues are enormous — some stand as tall as a 20-storey building.
Mysuru: The Royal Celebration
Down south, in Mysuru, the festival turns royal. The city's Dasara tradition is about 400 years old. The Mysuru Palace is lit with around 100,000 light bulbs, so the whole building glows in the night. Decorated elephants lead a grand procession, and the lead elephant carries a golden howdah — a special seat — on its back.
Kullu: The Festival That Starts Late
High in the Himalayan valley of Kullu, Dussehra does something funny: it starts when everywhere else finishes. While the rest of India ends the festival on Vijayadashami, Kullu begins a week-long celebration on that very day. Hundreds of local deities are carried through the valley in colourful palanquins, with music, flags and crowds.
Bengal: A Goodbye in the River
In the east, in Bengal, the same day is called Vijaya Dashami. It is the last day of Durga Puja. Families carry the statues of the goddess Durga to the river and gently lower them into the water — a farewell, until she returns again next year.
One Festival, a Hundred Celebrations
That is the magic of Dussehra in India. One festival, one message — good wins over evil — but a hundred different ways to celebrate it: fire in Delhi, royal lights in Mysuru, a mountain party in Kullu and a river goodbye in Bengal. And that giant Ravana statue? It is so big, it needs its own postcode!
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