Dussehra celebrations, marking the victory of good over evil, concluded with the burning of effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarn and Meghnad this evening. In the national capital, President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Mohd. Hamid Ansari, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, BJP President Amit Shah and Congress President Sonia Gandhi were among the dignitaries who witnessed the event at Subash Maidan in the national capital.
President Pranab Mukherjee appealed to people to leave aside their differences and maintain India’s unity and integrity and contribute to the country’s development. Mr Mukherjee said Dussehra is a symbol of our ancient culture and we should forget our differences and work towards nation building.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh participated at the Dussehra Celebrations at Red Fort in New Delhi.
In Maharashtra, Dasara, the traditional culminating ceremony of the ten-day long Navratri festival is being celebrated with joy and fervour in Maharashtrian households today.”Let us live like the gold”, is on every ones’ lips as people are visiting homes of their elderly and the near ones and distributing the leaves of Apta sacred tree called on this day as “gold”.
In Mumbai, Shiv Sainiks have gathered in large numbers in Dadar Shivaji Park, for the traditional Dasara rally in its golden jubilee year. Late Shiv Sena Pramukh Balasaheb Thakare used to address the rally annually. The rally has begun and the main speaker, the present Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thakare is yet to address it.
In Uttar Pradesh, ​Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami​, is being celebrated with age old traditions, utmost fervour and joy today.
The administration has made elaborate security arrangements across the state with special focus on sensitive places like Lucknow, Varanasi, Faizabad, Meerut, Kanpur and Muzaffarnagar in view of Moharram processions at the same time.
On the occasion of Dussehra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today wished for peace, unity and harmony in the country. Mr. Modi also tweeted, greetings & best wishes on the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dashmi. AIR