📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Mohit Kumar Montu
Religion
Bastar Dussehra: Chhattisgarh’s 75‑day celebration where Ravana’s effigy isn’t burnt
✍️ Hindustan Times
🗓 21 Oct 2026, 05:46 AM
👁 8
The Bastar Dussehra in Chhattisgarh spans 75 days and uniquely refrains from burning the effigy of Ravana, unlike the typical Dussehra celebrations across India.
Bastar Dussehra is celebrated in the tribal heartland of Chhattisgarh and extends over 75 days, making it one of the longest festive observances in the country.
Unlike the mainstream Dussehra rites that culminate in the burning of Ravana’s effigy, the Bastar version deliberately keeps the figure intact throughout the celebrations.
The festival showcases the region’s distinct cultural heritage, drawing participants from local communities who perform traditional dances, music and rituals that underscore the unique identity of the Bastar people.
Unlike the mainstream Dussehra rites that culminate in the burning of Ravana’s effigy, the Bastar version deliberately keeps the figure intact throughout the celebrations.
The festival showcases the region’s distinct cultural heritage, drawing participants from local communities who perform traditional dances, music and rituals that underscore the unique identity of the Bastar people.