Dussehra celebrations across India will feature the burning of giant effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad, while Delhi’s Pitampura will witness the burning of a 30-foot cockroach effigy as part of an unusual tradition. Preparations have been completed across Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Jharkhand. However, a village in Madhya Pradesh will observe the festival by worshipping Ravana instead of burning his effigy.

In Ayodhya, the Rajendra Niwas Ramlila Committee has prepared a 32-foot Ravana effigy, with the burning ceremony scheduled for 10 pm. This year, Muslim artisans have been entrusted with making the effigy, committee patron Prabhakar Mishra said.

In Lucknow, a 75-foot Ravana effigy featuring mechanical components has been prepared at the Ramlila Maidan. The organisers said the effigy would convey a message against what they described as “anti-national” and “anti-Sanatan” elements and “intellectual Naxalism”.

In Dehradun, Ravana’s effigy will be burnt at Hindu National Inter College in Laxman Chowk. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is scheduled to attend the event organised by the Laxman Chowk Welfare Society.

In Kashipur, 55-foot Ravana and 50-foot Kumbhakarna effigies will be burnt at 7.30 pm, followed by fireworks.

Srinagar will host its historic Dussehra celebrations with a 50-foot Ravana effigy for the first time. Effigies of Kumbhakarna and Meghnad, measuring 45 feet and 35 feet, respectively, have also been prepared at the Ramlila Ground.

In Madhya Pradesh’s Bhatkhedi (Ravan Wali) village in Rajgarh district, residents follow a different tradition by worshipping Ravana and Kumbhakarna. Villagers believe Ravana fulfils their wishes, and devotees offer prayers and prasad when their wishes are granted.

Ahead of the festival, the idols of Ravana and Kumbhakarna are repainted. On Dussehra, performers playing Lord Ram and Lakshman touch the idols with spears as villagers pray for prosperity.

In Patna, preparations have been completed for the annual Ravana Dahan ceremony at the historic Gandhi Maidan, where a large turnout is expected.

In Ranchi, the Punjabi Hindu Biradari will organise the traditional Ravana Dahan at Morabadi Maidan. Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar is scheduled to attend the event. The effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad measure 70 feet, 65 feet and 60 feet, respectively. Ramlila performances, cultural programmes and fireworks will be among the main attractions.

AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday urged Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to intervene in the case of Delhi’s Race Course Mosque.

In a social media post, the Hyderabad MP said the case needs Rijiju’s urgent intervention.

Owaisi stated that despite the masjid being a gazetted waqf property since 1977, the waqf board did not challenge the demolition order. Neither did it make any effort to resolve the issue.

“Even the Waqf Amendment Act protects the masjid since it’s ‘waqf by user.’ And all such properties registered in the past continue to be protected. But still no effort was made,” he said.

“It’s the Minister’s job to resolve the matter since the Delhi Waqf Board hasn’t been constituted since 2023 but the CEO of the Board could have intervened, that also did not happen,” he added.

In an earlier post, he strongly condemned the attempt to demolish Hujra Kuan, the historic mosque located near the Race Course.

People are being prevented from offering namaz at this mosque — which is duly recorded in the 1977 Gazette — and its caretaker has been threatened with the mosque’s demolition, even though no formal notice has been issued, he said.

“Why are places of worship belonging to Muslims being targeted? Our apprehensions regarding the misuse of the Waqf Amendment Act and the Places of Worship Act appear to be coming true. The government must withdraw these unlawful threats and clarify that no such action will be taken against the mosque,” the MP said.

Mohammed Haroon, who has been associated with the mosque for nearly 40 years, said in a video circulated on social media that authorities have asked him to vacate the premises within six days. He said the mosque’s electricity and water connections had been disconnected and all gates closed by the Land and Development Office (LNDO).

A delegation of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind met Kiren Rijiju and submitted a memorandum seeking urgent intervention to protect the mosque and the adjoining graveyard behind Safdarjung Tomb.

Samajwadi Party (SP) President, Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday targeted the BJP on Dussehra, saying the fight against evil should begin in Uttar Pradesh, and flagged off the party’s PDA (Backward Classes, Dalits and minorities) campaign vehicles in preparation for the Assembly elections in the state in 2027.

Flagging off the vehicles at the SP headquarters here, Yadav accused the BJP of undermining social justice, people’s rights and democratic institutions. He also urged party workers to ensure that electoral rolls were accurate and announced that the SP would release its manifesto on November 26, Constitution Day.

The vehicles were flagged off after a ceremonial coconut-breaking ritual, accompanied by conch-blowing and chanting of mantras. The campaign aims to reach young people, marginalised communities and those seeking justice.

“Today, we should resolve to eradicate evil from this land forever. The initiative should begin in Uttar Pradesh,” Yadav said, extending Dussehra greetings.

Invoking Lord Ram, he said Ram Rajya and socialism were complementary ideals. “Those who bring goodness to the world are Sanatanis, while those who do evil are fake Sanatanis,” he said.

Yadav also accused the BJP of misusing Artificial Intelligence (AI), alleging that a video depicting him as Ravana had been circulated by the party early in the morning.

Calling monitoring of electoral roll revision a priority, he said the party could not win the political battle without ensuring that voter lists were accurate. He asked workers to verify entries and remain vigilant throughout the revision process and until the nomination stage.

The SP chief demanded the release of Cockroach Janta Party leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and others who, he claimed, had been unnecessarily detained. He accused the BJP of using pressure to keep them behind bars.

Questioning the Election Commission’s handling of alleged duplicate voter entries, Yadav claimed that officials responsible for irregularities were not being held accountable.

He also raised issues of waterlogging in Lucknow, the education system and food adulteration, accusing the BJP of pursuing divisive politics.

On seat-sharing ahead of the Assembly elections, Yadav questioned how many seats the BJP would allocate to its ally, the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), and how it would accommodate other partners. He claimed the BJP feared losing its political foothold in Uttar Pradesh.

The SP’s PDA campaign launch and the announcement of its manifesto date signal the party’s preparations for the Assembly elections, with social justice, constitutional values and electoral roll verification featuring prominently in its agenda.