Dasara stands as one of India’s most vibrant and unifying festivals—with each region adorning it with distinctive traditions and cultural flair. At the forefront of 2025’s celebrations stands Vijayawada, casting a luminous spell across Andhra Pradesh before the festival’s fervor pulses through the rest of the nation.
Vijayawada: The Epicenter of Festivity
Vijayawada’s Dasara festivities centre on the revered Kanaka Durga Temple atop Indrakeeladri. This year, the city unfurls a grand 11-day celebration intertwined with the Vijayawada Utsav for an unprecedented spectacle. Each day during Navaratri, Goddess Kanaka Durga is adorned in various Alankarams, blessing large crowds during elaborately arranged pujas.
The entire city is bathed in lights—particularly on Bandar Road and Eluru Road—while ghat roads and temple precincts radiate spiritual energy. The temple expects nearly 20 lakh pilgrims, with arrangements like special prasad counters, volunteer support, and extensive cultural programmes. Notably, this year features drone shows above Prakasam Barrage, Dandiya nights at Punnami Ghats, and a massive exhibition at Gollapudi, infusing the traditional festival with street events, flash mobs, and firework displays for a diverse and inclusive celebration.
Coupled with the Vijayawada Utsav this year, the festivities offer a wide range of experiences for the tourists, devotees, and residents alike. Organised by the Society for Vibrant Vijayawada, the celebrations promise to be a dynamic confluence of spirituality, tradition, and modern cultural celebration.
Speaking to newsmen on Sunday, Vaishnavi, curator of Jignasa Art Works, said the Utsav is being organised in a participative spirit, with competitions such as Crown of Vijayawada, Vijayawada Idol, Vijayawada Champ, Talent Quest, and Vijayawada Quiz.
Former Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh will inaugurate the event at Punnami Ghat. Addressing a press conference, Pattabhi Ram said the Utsav will promote cultural heritage, creativity, and entertainment for the public and devotees visiting the Durga temple.
Cultural and spiritual programmes will be held across five key venues, including Tummalapalli Kalakshetram, Punnami Ghat, and Ghantasala Music College. Exhibitions, mythological and social plays, poetry-based dramas, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, and other classical dance forms will be showcased.
A heritage gallery at Punnami Ghat will depict the history of Vijayawada and NTR district, highlighting contributions of eminent personalities.
North India: Ramlila and Ravana Dahan
In the north, Dasara is synonymous with the epic tale of Rama’s triumph. Metropolitans like Delhi, Varanasi, and Lucknow host large-scale Ramlila (drama) re-enactments of the Ramayana, culminating in the burning of gigantic Ravana effigies on Vijayadashami. These events are marked by booming fireworks, bustling Melas (fairs), and vibrant processions, with families gathering for social and religious bonding.
West Bengal & Eastern India: Durga Puja’s Grandeur
In West Bengal, Dasara finds its most spectacular expression in the culmination of Durga Puja — a festival that is as much an artistic extravaganza as it is a spiritual observance. For ten days, Kolkata and towns across the State transform into open-air galleries, with sprawling pandals designed around elaborate themes, from mythological scenes to contemporary social messages. The craftsmanship extends to the idols themselves, where artisans bring Goddess Durga and her entourage to life with breathtaking detail and innovation.
The celebrations are not confined to ritual worship alone. The festival pulsates with cultural performances, theatre, music, and dance, drawing in audiences from every background. Streets stay alive well into the night as families, friends, and visitors embark on pandal-hopping tours, admiring the artistry and soaking in the festive atmosphere.
The final day, Vijaya Dashami, marks both triumph and farewell. With chants, drums, and processions, the idols are carried to rivers and immersed, symbolising the Goddess’s return to her celestial abode. It is a deeply emotional moment, often followed by the ritual of ‘Sindoor Khela’, where women smear vermilion on each other as a gesture of goodwill and prosperity.
Beyond West Bengal, similar celebrations resonate across Eastern India, especially in Assam, Odisha, Tripura, and Bihar, each infusing regional flavours into the worship of Durga. Together, these celebrations underline not just religious devotion but also a shared cultural identity, where artistry, community, and faith converge in a spectacle unmatched anywhere in the world.
South India: Royal Splendour, Golu Dolls and Bathukamma Blooms
In South India, Dasara is celebrated in strikingly diverse forms — from grand royal pageantry to homely rituals, floral festivities, and temple observances.
In Karnataka, Mysore’s world-famous Dasara is the crown jewel. The Mysore Palace glows under nearly 100,000 lights, while the streets come alive with cultural parades, folk art, and the majestic ‘Jumboo Savari’ procession, where caparisoned elephants carry the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari. Rooted in centuries of Wodeyar dynasty tradition, this regal spectacle continues to attract lakhs of visitors, showcasing Karnataka’s heritage on a global stage.
In Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh, the festival takes a more intimate turn with Golu displays. Families arrange tiered steps of dolls, representing deities, mythological scenes, and everyday village life. Evenings are marked by storytelling, devotional music, and visits from neighbours, making each home a hub of culture and community bonding.
In Telangana, Dasara coincides with the vibrant Bathukamma festival — a floral celebration unique to the State. Women gather in colourful attire, arranging seasonal flowers in towering, conical stacks and singing folk songs as they dance around them. The festival symbolises feminine energy, fertility, and harmony with nature, turning towns and villages into seas of colour and music.
Kerala adds yet another dimension with its Navaratri temple traditions. Temples such as Thiruvananthapuram’s Attukal Bhagavathy and Kollur Mookambika draw thousands for special rituals, particularly during the final three days dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. The highlight is Vidyarambham, when children are formally initiated into learning by tracing their first letters in rice or sand before the deity — a moving blend of faith, culture, and education.
Whether expressed through palaces, homes, flowers, or temples, the devotion converges in honouring the Goddess, blending heritage, artistry, and community spirit in a uniquely Southern mosaic.
Western India: Garba and Dandiya Raas
In Western India, Dasara and Navaratri celebrations unfold as vibrant nights of music and movement. Gujarat, in particular, becomes the heartbeat of the season, with cities, towns, and villages reverberating to the rhythm of Garba and Dandiya Raas. Each evening, community grounds transform into seas of colour as men and women, dressed in dazzling traditional attire, whirl in synchronised circles to the beats of drums and folk songs dedicated to Goddess Amba. The dances are both devotional offerings and joyous expressions of unity, often lasting until dawn.
Maharashtra, too, embraces this festive spirit. Alongside Garba and Dandiya gatherings, the state marks the season with processions, devotional music, and community feasts. In many towns, Navaratri becomes an occasion for local troupes to stage plays and musical performances, keeping folk traditions alive. Urban centres like Mumbai and Pune add their cosmopolitan energy, where cultural programmes and dance events bring together people across backgrounds.
What makes the Western celebrations distinct is their inclusiveness. Garba and Dandiya nights open their doors to everyone — from neighbourhood families to visiting tourists — weaving together communities through rhythm and movement. The shared circles of dance embody not only devotion but also a spirit of camaraderie, symbolising how music and togetherness can dissolve boundaries during the festival.
Unique Regional Celebrations
Bastar in Chhattisgarh hosts one of India’s most distinctive versions—a 75-day tribal festival dominated by goddess Danteshwari worship, intricate rituals, and chariot processions. Communities in Himachal (Kullu) and Punjab add their unique folk, martial arts, and harvest themes, reflecting the diversity stitched into Dasara’s fabric.
Contemporary Touches and Workspaces
Modern India blends tradition with novelty: drone shows, sponsored firework spectaculars, and themed exhibitions reflect evolving tastes. Offices across India celebrate with pujas, prasad distribution, potluck lunches, and cultural games, ensuring the festival retains relevance in daily lives—even for those working remotely.
Dasara continues to inspire a collective spirit with regional flavors, from Vijayawada’s Kanaka Durga hilltop glories to the royal Mysore processions, to the effigy-laden grounds of Delhi and the artistic reverence in Bengal. Each rendition—rooted in the triumph of good—affirms that India’s strength lies in celebrating unity through diversity.