Dussehra, a festival symbolizing victory of good over evil, was celebrated with great fervor in Bhopal and other parts of the State on Tuesday. Huge effigies of demon king Ravana were burnt at various places to mark the occasion.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan performed Dussehra Pooja at his residence today.
Chouhan and his wife Sadhana Singh performed pooja of vehicles. They planted coconut saplings in the premises and extended Vijayadashmi greetings to all.
Chouhan said that this festival gives inspiration to destroy evil forces. He prayed to the Almighty for happiness and prosperity of the state and its people. All the officers, employees and security personnel were present in CM House on the occasion.
In Bhopal, the tallest effigy of Ravana was burnt at Kolar Dussehra Ground. TT Nagar, Bittan Market, Shahpura, Kolar Road, MVM Ground, Ashoka Garden, Jamboree Ground, Bairagarh and Govindpura were among other popular venues of Dussehra celebration across the city.
Also, religious processions were organised at various places. A procession at Chola Dussehra Ground commenced from Banke Bihari Temple, while another began at Meera Temple and went to Bittan Market Dussehra Ground.
Traffic at many places in the city remained halted for hours in the evening in almost all the parts of the city, either due to the processions of Durga idol immersion or those going to dussehra gorunds.
The fireworks display at various places was the main attractions for the people. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and many other dignitaries participated in the Dussehra celebrations at different locations.
As the 10-day Navratri festival concluded on Tuesday, immersion ceremony of Durga idols was also carried out by various groups.
In Bhopal, Navratri celebrations are mainly about worshipping Goddess Durga and playing the traditional Garba dance.
But Navratri is never complete without burning of Ravana effigies on Dusshera. This year too, the people in Bhopal burnt over 200 such major effigies symbolising victory of good over evil.
The impact of recent strikes across loC was clearly visible in this year’s Dussehra as the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnad were covered with posters of terrorists besides they marked with anti-terrorism slogans.