Overview
- Dussehra, observed on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, featured large public Ramlila performances and Ravana Dahan ceremonies in multiple cities that drew thousands of attendees.
- Senior national and state leaders posted Vijayadashami greetings that invoked the festival’s themes of truth, righteousness and the victory of good over evil.
- Authorities deployed extensive security and emergency resources to manage crowds and fire risks, with Noida reporting about 2,200 police personnel and 26 fire tenders on standby.
- Organisers staged very large effigies and spectacle events — for example Kota’s famed 105-foot Ravana and Lucknow’s Aishbagh capped its effigy at 65 feet while using AI, 3D holograms and low-smoke ‘Green Ravan’ methods.
- Drik Panchang timings, including the Vijay Muhurat window of 1:59–2:45 p.m., guided ritual schedules and local traffic plans and the combination of safety measures and tech changes could shape how cities run large festivals in coming years.