Dussehra Celebration in India

Dussehra: How It is Celebrated Across India


Neeraj Shukla
By Neeraj Shukla | Last Updated on January 29th, 2024 6:54 am

Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is a famous Indian festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. people in different states have different ways of celebrating Dussehra with great pomp and show. People dress up in their traditional and take part in various cultural programs and celebrations. In the eastern and southern states, Dussehra commemorates Goddess Durga's victory over the evil demon Mahishasura. It lasts nine days and begins on the first day of Navratri. On the other hand, most northern and western states of India celebrate Dussehra Rama’s victory over Ravana. Here are 9 different ways of celebrating Dussehra in India:

Dussehra Celebration in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh

Dussehra is celebrated with immense joy and enthusiasm in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The celebrations begin early in the morning with the worship of Goddess Durga. People in these two states celebrate the festival by worshipping the Goddess Durga and burning the effigies of Ravana. The effigies of Ravana, Meghnath, and Kumbhkaran are burnt to symbolize the victory of good over evil. In Delhi, the effigies are burnt at different places like Ramlila Ground, Red Fort, Chittaranjan Park, and Jhandewalan.

Dussehra Celebration in Punjab

Dussehra is a very important festival in Punjab and people celebrate it with great fervor. In Punjab, the first seven days of Navratri are usually spent fasting, after which they perform 'Jagraata,' or devotional songs, to get the entire audience in a festive mood. On the eighth day of the festival (Ashtami), they break their fast by arranging a Bhandara for nine young girls while worshipping them.

Dussehra Celebration in Gujrat

The Navratri festival is celebrated in Gujarat with great pomp and show. The Garba dance is a popular dance form of Gujarat, which is performed at the time of Navratri. It is a traditional dance form, which is performed by both men and women in the state of Gujarat. The Garba dance form is associated with the worship of the Goddess Durga. The Garba dance is usually accompanied by devotional songs, which are sung in praise of the Goddess Durga.

Dussehra Celebration in Tamil Nadu

Dussehra Mahotsav, a much-anticipated annual event in Tamil Nadu's calendar, is celebrated with dazzling gaiety and fervor. Tamils celebrate Dussehra in their own unique way, honoring Laxmi, Durga, and Saraswati. People pay visits to friends and relatives, greeting them and exchanging gifts. Special delicacies are prepared, and a feast is planned. Married women pay visits to each other's homes and exchange gifts such as bangles, coconuts, money, and Kumkum.

Dussehra Celebration in Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, Dussehra is also known as Vijaydashmi and people across the state celebrate it with a lot of faith and happiness. People in Maharashtra celebrate Dussehra by visiting friends and relatives, greeting them, and exchanging gifts and cards. They even exchange the leaves of the Aapta tree, which represent gold to them and bring prosperity. On this day, Maharashtrians also prepare special delicacies to celebrate the arrival of the winter season. They also consider it auspicious enough to start new businesses and purchase new homes, vehicles, and gadgets.

Dussehra Celebration in Hyderabad

Dussehra festival is known as Bathukamma in Telangana, which means "flower festival," and the literal translations of the words Bathuku and Amma mean "Mother Aliveness." Flowers are treated as gods during the nine days of Navratri, and the worship of nature and aliveness is essentially a celebration of life. Furthermore, the festival focuses on women. The city also has a cosmopolitan population. This results in the Bengali residents celebrating the festival as Durga Puja and the Gujaratis dancing to Garba tunes in their chaniya cholis and dhotis as Navratri.

Dussehra Celebration in Madhya Pradesh

Dussehra celebrations in Madhya Pradesh begin a fortnight before the actual festival. Large effigies of Ravana, Meghnath, and Kumbhakarna are installed at various places in the state. These effigies are burnt on the day of Dussehra, signifying the victory of good over evil. A number of fairs and cultural programs are also organized during this time.

Dussehra Celebration in West Bengal

In West Bengal, Dussehra is known as Durga Puja. The people of West Bengal celebrate the festival by worshipping the state's main deity, the goddess Durga. In terms of grandeur, rituals, expression of family bonds, and sheer size of mass participation, no other festival in the world compares to Bengal's Durga Pooja. During the Puja season, the joy and celebration seen in every home and street exemplify Bengal's family values and artistic wealth.

Dussehra Celebration in Rajasthan

Dussehra is celebrated throughout the country, but in Kota, the festival is quite unique because it marks the start of a long festive period. The festivities begin with a grand procession of elephants, camels, and horses. This is followed by a series of cultural programs and events. On the last day, a huge effigy of Ravana is burnt, signifying the victory of good over evil.

This way Dussehra is celebrated in different ways in different parts of the country, but the essence of the festival remains the same. the festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy in the whole country. Businesses across the nation create Dussehra poster, and Durga Puja posters to promote discounts, sales, and promotions. You can also create a Dussehra greeting card and send them to your friends and family. Creating Dussehra greeting cards is easy with services like Appy Pie’s Dussehra Poster maker.

Create a Dussehra Poster with Appy Pie’s Dussehra poster maker:

  1. Go to Appy Pie’s Dussehra Poster Maker
  2. Create an account or log in with your existing account
  3. Select a template that best suits your requirements
  4. You can also upload your own image
  5. Customize the color, font, and size, and add your own quotes and messages
  6. Download your design as a high-quality PDF or share it online with your friends and family.

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Neeraj Shukla

Content Manager at Appy Pie