New Delhi: Towering effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad went up in flames amid dazzling fireworks, thunderous cheers and chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ as the city celebrated Dussehra Tuesday.
At Luv Kush Ramlila at the Red Fort grounds, the 110-foot Ravana delivered a message that went beyond the familiar tale of good defeating evil. At Nav Shri Dharmik Leela Committee, a 110-foot Ravana met a similarly dramatic end. At Dwarka’s Sector 10 Ramlila, where a towering 221-foot Ravana was set ablaze, organisers said the significance of Ravan Dahan went beyond the burning of an effigy and lay in the resolve to overcome arrogance, injustice and evil.
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Alekha, a DU student visiting Dussehra celebrations in east Delhi, said, “We burn Ravana every year, but women still have to think twice before stepping out alone at night. Paritosh, another college student, said, “Pollution and corruption are the Ravanas of our generation. From the historic Red Fort grounds to neighbourhood Ramlilas, thousands of spectators gathered to witness Ravan Dahan, bringing the curtain down on days of festivities and marking the symbolic triumph of good over evil. The Dussehra celebrations saw the participation of several prominent dignitaries. President Droupadi Murmu joined the festivities at Dwarka Shri Ram Leela, where she performed the traditional aarti of Ram, Lakshman and Sita before symbolically shooting an arrow to set Ravana’s effigy ablaze. Chief minister Rekha Gupta and cabinet minister Parvesh Verma were also present at the event. PM Narendra Modi attended the Vijayadashami celebrations at the Indraprastha Ramleela Ground in east Delhi’s IP Extension. Before being engulfed in flames, the demon king’s recorded voice urged spectators to confront pollution and traffic congestion, drawing attention to their impact on public health, fuel consumption and the economy. The symbolism extended to IP Extension, where organisers continued their three-decade-old tradition of burning a fourth effigy representing a contemporary social evil. This year, the additional effigy represented counterfeit medicines and inflated maximum retail prices, drawing attention to concerns over consumer safety and unfair pricing. At Shri Dharmic Leela Committee’s celebrations, Ravana’s fiery end unfolded with a dramatic sequence as the symbolic arrow struck his navel, setting off a chain reaction in which sections of his garland caught fire, creating the appearance of individual burning beads. Ravana’s blinking eyes and flowing tears added to the spectacle, while his illuminated garland and green crackers heightened the visual effects. For younger spectators, particularly Gen Z, the festival also offered an opportunity to reflect on what constitutes evil in present-day society, and issues like women’s safety, discrimination and environmental degradation. For me, the real evil that needs to be burnt is the mindset that makes women feel unsafe. The real change will come when we start addressing these problems in our everyday lives. As the flames died down and crowds dispersed, the messages accompanying this year’s celebrations offered a broader interpretation of the age-old tradition, as per organisers, that the battle against evil does not end with Ravana’s symbolic defeat, but continues in the challenges society confronts every day. Download the TOI App.
Unlike last year’s Dussehra, when sudden showers drenched effigies and disrupted celebrations at several venues, clear skies and a slight nip in the air offered a welcome change for visitors this time.
Vice president C P Radhakrishnan, LG T S Sandhu and Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal joined the festivities organised by the Luv Kush Ram Leela Committee. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi attended the Nav Shri Dharmik Leela Committee’s event. From air pollution and traffic congestion to counterfeit medicines and inflated prices, organisers used the traditional ritual to draw attention to everyday problems affecting Delhiites.
Amid the spectacle of burning effigies, the celebrations also carried messages about the evils confronting society today.