NEW DELHI, Oct 20: President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan joined prominent political leaders and other dignitaries at Dussehra celebrations across Delhi on Tuesday, as elaborate ceremonies and the burning of towering effigies marked Vijayadashami.
President Murmu attended the festivities organised by the Dwarka Shri Ram Leela in Sector 10, accompanied by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Cabinet Minister Parvesh Verma. She performed the traditional aarti of Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita before releasing an arrow to ignite Ravan’s effigy.
In her Dussehra message, the President encouraged people to draw inspiration from Lord Ram’s character and values. She emphasised respect for nature, environmental protection and compassion towards all.
Addressing the gathering, Gupta said the festival represented the victory of truth, righteousness and justice over falsehood and injustice. She observed that arrogance, anger, corruption, crime, social discrimination, violence against women and hatred remained major challenges for society.
The chief minister urged citizens to incorporate Lord Ram’s ideals into their daily lives and unite against social evils and forces working against the nation.
The Dwarka celebration featured 90-foot effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath. Organisers also incorporated digital facilities, including social media livestreaming, an event application and online ticketing. Plans to use green crackers formed part of the arrangements, Bharat Bhushan Malviya, a member of the event’s core committee and its media head, said.
Meanwhile, Modi attended the Vijayadashami programme at the Indraprastha Ramleela Ground, where he stressed the importance of self-reliance and collective resolve in overcoming challenges.
The prime minister said people should not remain passive in the face of difficult circumstances or depend entirely on others, but should recognise their own capabilities. He also called for political parties and national institutions to work together in the larger interest of the country and confront threats through a united approach.
At the Luv Kush Ram Leela celebrations at Ramlila Maidan near the Red Fort, Vice President Radhakrishnan was joined by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal and actor Yami Gautam.
The event featured a 110-foot Ravan effigy that appeared to cry out “Hey Ram” after being struck by Lord Ram’s arrow. A dramatic monologue accompanying the spectacle urged people to eliminate the negative traits within themselves rather than limit the ritual to burning an external symbol of evil.
“Every year, I burn. But this time, burn the Ravan inside you,” the message said, highlighting arrogance and drawing attention to everyday civic concerns, including traffic congestion in Delhi.
The effigy was fitted with a rotating sword and specially designed eyes that created the appearance of flames. Eleven colourful garlands adorned the structure, while 100-foot and 90-foot effigies of Kumbhkaran and Meghnath completed the display, organisers said.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also attended a Ramlila organised by the Nav Shri Dharmik Leela Committee at the Red Fort grounds.
A different social message featured at the Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee’s celebration at the DDA ground in Netaji Subhash Place, Pitampura, where organisers burnt a 30-foot cockroach effigy alongside the traditional figures of Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath.
Committee president and Model Town MLA Ashok Goel Devaraha said the additional effigy was intended to draw attention to filth, unhygienic surroundings and related health concerns, including allergies and asthma.
He said the committee introduced a different symbolic figure each year to highlight a social problem. Previous displays had addressed issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Naxalism and foreign goods.
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Arun Singh, Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra and Vishwa Hindu Parishad Delhi unit president Kapil Khanna attended the programme as chief guests and participated in the effigy-burning ceremony.
Singh said Vijayadashami offered an opportunity to renew the commitment to truth, duty and righteousness. Mishra stressed that the significance of festivals lay in applying their lessons to everyday conduct.
The cockroach display, however, triggered a political controversy. AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj lodged a complaint with the lieutenant governor and Delhi Police Commissioner against the organisers.
In a post on X, Bharadwaj alleged that the display deliberately hurt religious sentiments, departed from established Hindu traditions and risked creating hostility between communities.
The celebrations across Delhi combined traditional religious rituals with messages on public responsibility, social reform and national unity, while the elaborate effigies remained the central attraction of the annual festival.