Dasehra celebrated with religious fervour across city

The festival of Dasehra was celebrated with great fervour and traditional enthusiasm across the city on Wednesday. Large gatherings were witnessed at seven different venues where the towering effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad were set ablaze, symbolising the triumph of good over evil.

The main events took place at the Durgiana Mandir Dasehra Ground, Dana Mandi, Narayangarh (Chheharta), and Ram Nagar Colony, Islamabad, where former Deputy Chief Minister Om Parkash Soni attended the function as the chief guest. The functions were organised by Shri Durgiana Committee, Amritsar, Panch Ratan Shri Krishna Mandir Committee, Narayangarh (Chheharta), and the Dussehra Committee Ram Nagar Colony, Islamabad.

Addressing the gathering, Soni said Ravana has always been remembered as a symbol of evil, which is why people continue to follow the age-old tradition of setting ablaze effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad for generations. “The message of Dasehra is that evil always ends and truth prevails. Festivals in India are celebrated with unity and brotherhood, cutting across communities and religions. We must burn the Ravana within ourselves as greed, dishonesty and drug addiction are the real evils of society that need to be eradicated,” he said.

The festival was also celebrated at Guru Nanak Dev stadium, Verka, where Member of Parliament Gurjeet Singh Aujla and former Amritsar Improvement Trust Chairman Dinesh Bassi attended as chief guests. Both leaders extended greetings to the people and called for collective efforts to spread the spirit of positivity and harmony.

To ensure smooth conduct of the festival, Amritsar police made elaborate security and traffic arrangements across the city. Large numbers of police personnel were deployed at celebration sites and along major routes for crowd management and parking regulation. Markets also witnessed a festive buzz as people relished traditional sweets like jalebis and sugarcane. Vendors reported brisk business throughout the day, adding colour and flavour to the festivities.