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Dussehra celebration in India is one of the most fantastic festivals that fills streets, palaces, and temple courtyards with rituals, performances, parades, and everything in between. In 2025, Dussehra will be celebrated on Thursday, 2 October, which is also Gandhi Jayanti, so many Indians will enjoy a prolonged public holiday. Though the spiritual idea of the victory of good over evil remains the same, each site celebrates Dussehra in its own way. Mysuru’s royal procession and Kullu’s week-long Himalayan festivity don’t even approach each other in terms of performance, ritual, and enthusiasm, but they nevertheless allow a unique immersion in India’s living traditions.
Why Dussehra Is Celebrated: Symbolism And Religious Significance
Photo: Dilip Poddar / Unsplash
Dussehra holds deep symbolic and cultural significance across India. In northern India, it celebrates Lord Rama’s victory over the demon King Ravana with Ramlila performances and effigy burning. In the east, especially West Bengal, it marks Goddess Durga’s farewell after defeating Mahishasura. In Karnataka’s south, it honours Goddess Chamundeshwari and the royal Mysore heritage. This diversity shows Dussehra as more than a religious festival—it reflects India’s rich cultural pluralism.
Suggested Read: Hindu Festivals In India
Top Experiences Of Dussehra Celebration In India
Here’s a list of the top experiences of Dussehra celebration in India, each of which highlights something special and offers a variety.
1. Watching Ravana Effigies Burn Across North India
Perhaps the most spectacular sight of Dussehra is to witness effigies of Ravana, Meghnath, and Kumbhakarna, towering high and ablaze against a dark October sky. Venues across North India will be filled with visitors enjoying evening fireworks and experiencing the roar of the crowd on 2 October 2025, as a symbolic triumph comes to visual fruition. What makes the sight special is the magnitude, with some effigies being taller than 60 feet, and stuffed with explosive firecrackers exploding in synchronous style to the climax of the story.
Top Cities: Delhi (Ramlila Maidan, Red Fort grounds), Kota (Dussehra Ground), Lucknow (Aishbagh Ramlila), Kanpur (Parade Ground).
2. Exploring Festival Bazaars, Craft Fairs And Melas
Photo: AbhishekMittal / Shutterstock
During Dussehra fairs are hosted that gather artisans, folk performers and food cart vendors to make exciting cultural spaces come alive. These melas provide entertainment along with tradition; children’s rides and circus-style acrobat performances, handloom and handicraft shopping, and folk stages for performances. The atmosphere is less formal and more lively and interactive than a daily procession or ritual. Travellers can sample local street snacks, pick up souvenirs and observe the goings on of town folks enjoying their holiday.
Top Cities: Mysuru (Dasara Exhibition Grounds), Kota (Kota Dussehra Mela), Kullu (Dhalpur Maidan fair), Varanasi (local Ramlila markets).
Suggested Read: Top Festivals In India That Showcase Its Rich Heritage
3. Tasting Festive Foods And Vrat Menus
Photo: Yan Krukau / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Food takes centre stage in the Dussehra experience. For nine nights, vrat menus will dominate kitchens across India in the countdown to Dashami. Purist meals consisting of kuttu ki puri, sabudana khichdi, and fruits for the devotees are the usual food. On the actual day of Dussehra, it is a different ambiance with sweet jalebis, Mysore Pak, kachoris, laddoos, and seasonal sweets abound in the sweet shops and street markets. While people coming together to watch effigies burn or attend the melas is entertaining, there is no better and more intimate way to connect with the festival.
Top Cities: Varanasi (kachori-sabzi, jalebi), Mysuru (Mysore Pak, bonda), Kolkata (bhog prasad, sandesh), Delhi (vrat thalis, jalebi-rabri).
Top Dussehra Destinations In India
The following are some of the top destinations for Dussehra celebration in India. They are unique on their own and give you an interesting look into the festival.
1. Mysuru, Karnataka
Photo: Ashwin Kumar / Wikimedia Commons
Mysuru Dasara 2025 will take place from 22 September until 2 October, with daily illuminations of the palace, and the ever-famed Jamboo Savari on Vijayadashami. What is particular about this celebration is its royal sponsorship; its foundations are based on tradition within the Wadiyar dynasty. Besides this, the militarism of the Torchlight Parade is something that is new to festivals in North India, which are often focused on Ramlila performance and burning ritual. Mysuru emphasises pageantry, coronations with elephants, and maybe horses and viewing traditional art forms.
Highlights: Jamboo Savari, Torchlight Parade, cultural exhibitions.
Nearby Hotels: Radisson Blu Plaza, Royal Orchid Metropole, Ginger Mysuru.
Suggested Read: Top Places To Visit In Mysore
2. Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
Photo: Kondephy / Wikimedia Commons
The International Kullu Dussehra Festival in 2025 begins on 2 October and runs for a week. What distinguishes it from other Dussehra celebrations in India is that there is no effigy of Ravana to burn. The Kullu Dussehra is a congregation of over 200 deities carried on decorated palanquins to Dhalpur Maidan, therefore creating the largest spiritual gathering in the Himalayas. The Kullu Dussehra showcases riverside rituals and folk markets that are uniquely attractive for pilgrims and those interested in cultural experiences.
Highlights: Rath Yatra of Lord Raghunath, folk dance troupes, and handicraft stalls.
Nearby Hotels: Span Resort & Spa, Apple Valley Resort, Hotel Shobla Royale.
3. Ramnagar, Uttar Pradesh
Photo: AbhishekMittal / Shutterstock
The Ramnagar Ramlila, concluding in early October 2025, is different from the speedy stage adaptations seen in Delhi and in other community venues across India. It is long, almost a month, and is staged throughout the town, using streets and ghats to build its mythological scenes. It has a slower, more immersive pace to it. The audiences walk from scene to scene, which makes it stand out from other festivals. Bharat Milap and the coronation will again be the last acts of the 2025 Ramlila.
Highlights: Bharat Milap, Rajyabhishek, riverside enactments.
Nearby Hotels: BrijRama Palace, Guleria Kothi, Ganpati Guest House.
Suggested Read: A Guide To The Best Things To Do In Uttar Pradesh
4. Bastar, Chhattisgarh
Photo: Sushil.skk / Wikimedia Commons
Bastar’s Dussehra begins on 30 September 2025, and is unique as it doesn’t focus on Rama or Durga, but local tribal traditions centred around goddess Danteshwari. Unlike the idols in the artistic traditions of Kolkata or the burning of effigies in New Delhi, Bastar focuses on ritual sacrifice, worship of ancestors, and tribal music. For 2025 Jagdalpur will be hosting further developed cultural programmes, providing travellers with the opportunity to glimpse customs that differ significantly from the more mainstream celebrations of Hinduism.
Highlights: Rath Parikrama, Mawli Parghaw, Danteshwari temple rituals.
Nearby Hotels: Bastar Jungle Resort, Hotel Naman Bastar, and homestays in Jagdalpur.
5. Kolkata, West Bengal
On October 2, 2025, Kolkata will immerse Durga idols into the Ganges on Dashami, following days of elaborate Puja celebrations. Unlike Mysuru’s urban procession or Kullu’s mass gathering of deities, Kolkata’s Dussehra is accompanied by emotional farewells. Most importantly, the Sindoor Khela is when women smear each other with vermilion before sending the goddess away. The city becomes a gallery with artistry and style evident, with the pandals showcasing people pushing craft into avant-garde forms. The creativity and emotional devotion of Kolkata Dussehra are what makes it distinct.
Highlights: Sindoor Khela, idol immersion, pandal artistry.
Nearby Hotels: The Oberoi Grand, The Park Kolkata, boutique hotels in Ballygunge.
Suggested Read: Experience The Grand Celebration Of Durga Puja In Kolkata
6. Delhi
Photo: Poltu Shyamal / Shutterstock
Delhi’s Dussehra in 2025 will once again feature dramatic effigy burnings on 2 October at Ramlila Maidan and Red Fort grounds. Ramlila is even more spectacular and extravagant in Delhi, with song and dance, fireworks, and hybrid sound-and-light rigging to impress the vast urban audiences. There are melas organised at many places throughout the capital to entertain the people. These melas are full of big rides, small games, vibrant stalls and various performances.
Highlights: Ravana effigy burning, Red Fort backdrop, large-scale Ramlilas.
Nearby Hotels: The Lalit New Delhi, Maidens Hotel, Hotel Ajanta.
7. Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh
Photo: Prime Minister’s Office / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
In 2025, Ayodhya will celebrate Dussehra on a scale that has never been seen before. In contrast to the charm of the artistic parade in Kolkata, or the royal procession in Mysuru, Ayodhya is all about devotion. The celebrations include temple oil lamps, Sarayu riverfront parades, and traditional Ramleelas. As the birthplace of Lord Rama, Ayodhya is not just another city, so the festival is transformed into a pilgrimage of faith. While millions of visitors will converge on Ayodhya for Dussehra, new infrastructure and cooling centres will be established to properly host this event.
Highlights: Ram Temple lighting, Sarayu riverfront rituals, Ramleela enactments.
Nearby Hotels: Ramayana Hotel, Park Inn by Radisson, and dharmshalas near the temple.
Suggested Read: Things To Do In Ayodhya For A Spiritual Experience
8. Kota, Rajasthan
Photo: chetanya kumar suman / Shutterstock
In 2025, Kota’s Dussehra Mela will take place on October 2, the day of Vijayadashami. Kota collates both traditions and carnival spirit. The spectacle of the burning of the towering Ravana, Meghnath and Kumbhakarna effigies is carefully orchestrated with big fireworks, and the sky fills over the Chambal river. The mela has, typically, been an exceptional experience; it sprawls with folk musicians, acrobats, traders and has become as much about marketspace as it is about the festival.
Highlights: Giant effigy burnings, fireworks, cultural fairground shows.
Nearby Hotels: Umed Bhawan Palace, Country Inn & Suites, and budget hotels in the Station Road area.
Tips For Travellers
Photo: Snehrashmi / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only
Here are essential tips for travellers to ensure a safe, smooth, and enjoyable journey while exploring new destinations confidently.
- Make train, flight, and hotel bookings as early as 2-3 months, particularly if you are travelling to Mysuru and Kullu.
- Light cottons only for the plains and a warm layer if you are travelling to the Himalayan festivals.
- Bring cash for local markets and food stalls.
- In bustling cities, utilise public transport or shared autos to eliminate the hassle of finding a parking spot.
- If you wish to experience the local area, take local guides, especially in places like Bastar or Ramnagar.
Suggested Read: Dussehra Celebration In Delhi
Dussehra celebration in India is a vibrant blend of history, culture, and community, showcasing unique traditions—from effigy burnings in the North to royal processions in Mysuru and tribal customs in Bastar. To fully appreciate the festival, explore multiple regions and experience the diverse ways Dussehra celebration in India comes to life. Plan your Dussehra 2025 trip with TripXL for an unforgettable cultural journey!
Cover Photo: AbhishekMittal / Shutterstock
