Citizens celebrated the Dussehra or the Vijayadashmi festival, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Man Ki Baat' radio programme, with traditional fervour and gaiety in different parts of the Kumaon division on Friday.
The interesting fact is that even in the urban areas, the people, despite their busy Vijayadashmi celebration schedule, spared time to watch the Prime Minister's 'Man Ki Baat' radio programme on the TV screen, while in the remote areas of the hill State where TV connections are weak people banked on their radio sets as usual to listen to the Prime Minister's 'Man Ki Baat' programme.
At the same time, the people observed the Dussehra festival in a traditional manner, performing worship of Goddess Durga in a big way on Friday as it was a holiday. Meanwhile, keeping in view the Dussehra celebrations on Friday, the Haldwani police made tight security arrangements in and around the city to ensure successful completion of the Dussehra celebrations.
The main function of the Dussehra festival was held here at the Ramlila Ground located in the city. However, people experienced a tough time due to increased vehicular traffic on the city roads during the festive occasion.
Burning effigies of the mythological characters, including Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnad, were the main attractions for the people, particularly the children, on the occasion of the concluding day of nearly a fortnight- long Ramlia celebrations. The Dussehra celebrations went off peacefully in the region.