Grand Vijaya Dashami Celebrations in Balrampur: Effigies of Evil Burned at 76th Dussehra Festival
Balrampur celebrated Vijaya Dashami with grandeur, burning effigies of Ravan, Kumbhakaran, and Meghnad at the 76th Dussehra Mahotsav.
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Vijaya Dashami Celebrated with Grandeur in Balrampur
Balrampur, October 21, 2026 – The festival of Vijaya Dashami was celebrated with immense joy and fanfare in Balrampur on Tuesday. The celebration, symbolizing the victory of good over evil, culminated at the 76th Dussehra Mahotsav held at the city's Bada Parade Ground, where giant effigies of Ravan, Kumbhakaran, and Meghnad were ceremoniously burned.
The entire ground resonated with chants of "Jai Shri Ram" as lakhs of people, including local residents and visitors from rural areas, participated in the event. The Bada Parade Ground was beautifully decorated to enhance the grandeur of the occasion. The Municipal Council managed the stage decoration and the arrangement of fireworks.
Grand Procession and Ram-Ravan Battle
The festival commenced with a magnificent procession of Lord Rama and the Vanara Sena from the city's City Palace Road. This procession traversed major city routes, including Bada Pul, Chowk, Sabzi Mandi, Sarai Phatak, Veer Vinay Chowraha, and Pipal Triha, before reaching the parade ground, where it was welcomed by the assembled crowds.
The main attraction of this year's Dussehra festival was a thrilling enactment of the Ram-Ravan battle. As Lord Rama fired flaming arrows, the colossal effigies, symbolizing evil, caught fire and burned intensely, drawing immense excitement from the onlookers.
State and Social Participation
The chief guest at the event was Maharaja Jayendra Pratap Singh of the Balrampur royal family. He was accompanied by local dignitaries including MLA Paltu Ram, MLA Kailashnath Shukla, and MLA Rakesh Yadav. The District Magistrate Dr. Vipin Kumar Jain and Superintendent of Police Martand Pratap Singh also graced the occasion with their presence.
The guests were welcomed with a tilak ceremony for Lord Rama, and the program's dignity was further enhanced with aarti and garland offerings. The Municipal Chairman Dr. Dhirendra Pratap Singh 'Dheeru' and the President of the Sanatan Dharma Sabha, Sanjay Sharma, stated that this event has been continuously organized for the past 76 years. They expressed gratitude for the special support from the royal family, the Ramlila Committee, and the Shivnatya Kala Mandal in maintaining this historical tradition.
Tight Security Arrangements
Extensive security arrangements were made by the police administration, ensuring the entire festival concluded peacefully. Numerous prominent citizens, including Rajkumar Srivastava, Gomti Tripathi, Mangal Prasad, Raghunath Shukla, and Preetpal Singh, were present at the event.