India celebrates Dussehra, rain plays spoilsport at some places

Dussehra, symbolising the triumph of good over evil, was celebrated across the country on Thursday, marking an end to the nine-day Navratri festival with revellers flocking to Ramleela grounds to witness the burning of effigies of demon king Ravana.

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

People carry an idol of Goddess Durga for immersion on 'Vijayadashami', the last day of the Durga Puja festival, at Jahaj Ghat, in Tezpur, Sonitpur district, Assam, Thursday

(PTI)

Rain, however, played a spoilsport at some places, including Delhi, in the evening. Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not attend a Dussehra event because of rains.

Besides effigies of Ravana, those of his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnad also went up in flames at open grounds.

Curtains also came down on the 11-day Dasara celebrations in Mysuru and Durga Puja in West Bengal.

Tragedy struck during two Durga idol immersion processions in Madhya Pradesh in which 11 people, including two children, were killed.

Amid rains in the national capital, President Droupadi Murmu attended the Dussehra celebrations at Red Fort, symbolically shooting an arrow to mark the “Ravana Dahan” at Madhavdas Park. Many people watched the proceedings holding umbrellas.

Murmu said the festival has always symbolised the triumph of good over evil, humility over arrogance and love over hatred.

Modi was scheduled to participate in a Dussehra celebration in East Delhi’s Patparganj but could not attend due to rain.

The effigies were damaged due to showers but later they were touched in presence of Union minister Harsh Malhotra, Delhi BJP presidentVirendra Sachdeva, MLA Arvinder Singh Lovely and others, said Suresh Bindal, president of the Indraprastha Ramleela Committee.