Children giggle and some get impatient as they wait for a chance to ride on the colourful merry-go-rounds. Amidst all this commotion stand grotesque, larger than life effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakaran and Meghnath, waiting to be set on fire.

The sunlight is slowly changing to a mellow gold and wherever you go in India, there's an intangible bubble of excitement. People go about their daily routine, but there's a spring in their steps, and there are more smiles per minute.

For ten long days and nights, India buzzes with happiness as festivity rises to a crescendo and there is nothing that can come in the way of this excitement.

Dussehra, Dasara, Navratri, Durga Puja--call it whatever you choose, but the spirit of the festival remains the same throughout the country. A fascinating collection of mythological legends and regional tales are embroidered around Dussehra and the celebrations depend on the legend.

In north India, this festival is incomplete without Ram Lila--a dance drama depicting the ten-day epic battle fought between Rama and Ravana, which ended in Rama's triumphant homecoming.

If you're looking for the best show, head to Old Delhi for the most popular Ram Lila, held near the Red Fort. Actors come all the way from Moradabad to perform--the one who plays Rama has been doing so for the last 15 years!

He neither smokes nor drinks, and becomes a figure so closely associated with Rama that people in his neighbourhood actually come out of their homes to touch his feet.

The first indication that Dussehra is round the corner comes when religious-minded families begin to observe the nine-day fasting associated with the Navratri festival.

But Navratri is more than that just food restrictions--it is also associated with dancing and revelry in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

If you are one of those who loves to dance, then head to Gujarat, especially Ahmedabad, where Navratri festivities are amongst the most joyous in the country.

Each night men and women dress up in bright, colourful clothes and dance the rousing dandiya raas and garba, keeping the rhythm of their steps with a pair of small wooden sticks. It is fascinating to watch how easily they can synchronise it.

Kota, in Rajasthan, believes in celebrating Rama's victory in a grand way--by taking out a massive procession through the town.

Thousands from the surrounding villages of Rajasthan gather to see the paper and bamboo effigies of Ravana and other demons that are paraded through the streets before they're set on fire. It is one of the best celebrations in Rajasthan.

If Kota does that, then should Mysore be left behind? The entire city basks in lights, making it one of the most pretty and charming sights across the country during Dussehra.

The Mysore Palace is lit for an entire month for the festival, drawing visitors from all over to admire the beauty of this royal abode. Renowned musicians of Karnataka and surrounding states perform with the palace as a backdrop.

There is no dearth of entertainment--from wrestling matches and Ram Lila shows, to shops selling handicrafts and an exhibition where companies put up their stalls, at the Doddakere Maidan in Mysore.

The city also carries out a grand procession on the last day where gaudily decorated elephants carry the idol of Chamundi, the goddess of Mysore.

It is believed that through her meditation the goddess protects the well being of the town below. She is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, who killed the demon Mahishasura.

Many soldiers, folk dancers and courtiers wend their way from Mysore Palace and go till Bani Mantap, a point in the city where celebrations come to a splendid climax by burning the effigies.

At Madikeri, in Karnataka the processions get bigger and prettier. The town has been celebrating this festival for over two centuries on a lavish scale.

The procession of beautifully decorated and lit temple chariots is what the locals wait for each time. Adding to their excitement every year is a prize
given for the best decorated chariot.

Not every place observes the same timetable. When everyone in India is wrapping up their celebrations, Kullu comes alive with the festive spirit. They begin their celebration when it is Vijayadashami--the 10th day Dussehra for rest of the country, and continue it for a week.

So if you are in the mood to see some more head to Himachal Pradesh. The locals, dressed in homespun jackets, carry over 200 deities from Himachal, with a lot of dancing and fanfare.

These idols are carried in palkis to pay homage to the reigning deity, Raghunathji. It is still hailed as one of the best celebrations across the country.

When it is Dussehra in the rest of the country, it is Durga Puja in Bengal. To make sure everything is perfect, preparations for the festival begin as early as the end of July, when idols of goddess Durga are crafted by artists all over Bengal.

And they are at their innovative best--using not just clay, but materials like bangles, earthen cups, coconut husks and also sweets at times.

Durga Puja goes beyond religion; it is the time when imagination, colour, festivity and faith all combine to bring together young and old in a spirit of rare bonhomie.

Every night is an occasion to rejoice and dance as the goddess is worshipped. Kolkata is in a mood to celebrate and they do it in the best possible way.

According to mythology Durga fought a fierce battle with the demon Mahishasura for nine days and nights and finally managed to kill him on the tenth day, celebrated as Dashami or Dussehra, signifying the victory of good over evil.

You cannot escape the magic of the gigantic pandals that are set up in community grounds all across the country during puja. The food stalls here are almost equally worshipped.

Wearing new clothes each day of the festival is practically a custom, and the end result is something quite similar to a fashion show.

Young men and women parade in their new finery at the pandals, day after day. But then all good things have to come to an end. On the last day with a heavy heart (and a heavy beat), the Bengalis immerse the idol of Durga in the sacred Ganga, bidding her goodbye and anxiously waiting to see her again the next year.

Durga Puja and Dussehra have ended, idols have been immersed, effigies have gone up in flames, but people across the country have something more to look forward to--the countdown to Diwali has just begun.

Courtesy: Travel Plus