President Murmu, Modi, Sonia Attend Dussehra Festivities in Delhi

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and several other leaders attended events across Delhi to mark Dussehra festivities on Tuesday.

Dussehra marks the end of the nine-day festivities of ‘Navratra’. Effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakaran are set ablaze during the celebrations to signify the triumph of good over evil.

President Murmu attended Dussehra celebrations hosted by the Shri Dharmik Leela Committee at the ground opposite the Red Fort here, while Prime Minister Modi took part in an event held in Dwarka.

The Shri Dharmik Leela Committee has been organising one of the most high-profile Ramlila events of the city since 1924. President Murmu arrived at the venue around 6 pm and offered prayers along with the members of the committee.

Murmu was accompanied by former Union minister Harsh Vardhan. She was later handed a ceremonial bow and arrow to shoot towards the effigies, following which they were set ablaze.

Prime Minister Modi was accorded a traditional welcome by the organisers of the event in Dwarka as a sea of crowd gathered to watch the festivities.

Modi was welcomed with a shawl and statue of Ram Durbar, and was also gifted a mace.

Later, he shot an arrow using a ceremonial bow, kick-starting the ‘Lanka Dahan’ celebrations.

“It is also a festival that marks the triumph of humility over arrogance,” Modi said in his address.

Vijayadashmi is a festival of “sankalp” (resolutions) and to “reiterate our resolutions”, the prime minister said. He also invoked the new Ram Temple being built in Ayodhya.

Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi attended Dussehra celebrations at an event hosted by the Nav Shri Dharmik Leela Committee. She was accompanied by Congress leader J P Agarwal and other party leaders.

Amid chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, Gandhi was gifted a copy of the Ramayana at the event.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also attended Dussehra festivities hosted by different Ramlila committees at venues facing the iconic Red Fort.