Editor's Letter: Dussehra Across India, October 2024

Dear reader,

When I was a child, Dussehra meant one thing: a dusty ground at the edge of town, a crowd of families, the smell of roasted peanuts, and a towering effigy of Ravana that seemed, to my small eyes, as tall as the sky. When the arrow finally struck and the fireworks inside burst into flame, we cheered as if we had won the battle ourselves. Years later, travelling across India for this magazine, I learned that this was only one of the many ways that our country celebrates the same autumn festival. This issue of Travel Viewpoint is devoted to those many ways.

One festival, many stories

Dussehra marks the victory of good over evil, but who wins, and how, depends on where you stand. In much of north India, it is Rama’s triumph over Ravana, celebrated after nights of Ramlila performances. In Bengal and the east, it is the farewell of Goddess Durga at the end of Durga Puja. In Mysuru, it is the victory of Goddess Chamundeshwari over Mahishasura, celebrated with a royal procession of elephants. In Kullu, it is a week-long gathering of village deities around Lord Raghunath. In Bastar, it is a long forest festival for Danteshwari Devi, shaped by tribal communities over centuries. In Gujarat, it follows nine nights of dancing.

What links them is a feeling: the end of the monsoon, the harvest ahead, the cool breath of autumn, and the joy of communities coming together after a long, hard season. That is what we wanted to capture in this issue.

What is in this issue

We start with stories already on our pages: our guide to India’s grandest Dussehra celebrations, ten Navratri destinations for cultural immersion, wildlife sanctuaries reopening in October, why October is the best month to explore India’s fortresses, and a lively collection of facts about festivals, forts and forests.

This month we add five new features. We have finished and expanded our long-awaited story on Mysore Dasara, tracing the festival from its royal roots to the elephants who lead the Jamboo Savari today. For those planning a visit, our companion piece suggests three unhurried days in Mysuru, from Chamundi Hills to the palace illuminations and the final procession.

We then travel north to Himachal Pradesh for a route that explains Kullu Dussehra, following the village deities down the Beas valley from Manali through Naggar to the Dhalpur Maidan. For first-timers, we have put together an honest list of what to skip on a Dussehra trip, from arriving on the last day to standing too close to the effigies. And finally, we take you to Bastar in Chhattisgarh, home to one of the longest and most remarkable Dussehra festivals in India, and one that still very few travellers have seen.

Why October, why now

There is also a practical reason we chose Dussehra for October. This is the month when India reopens. The monsoon has withdrawn from most of the country, the national parks begin to welcome visitors again, forts and palaces stand clear against blue skies, and the long travel season that runs through winter begins. If you have been waiting all year to travel, October is the month to start, and Dussehra gives you the perfect reason. Even if you cannot make it to a festival this year, the stories in these pages will, I hope, help you plan for the next one, and see your own local celebrations with new eyes.

Festivals are not performances

I want to say something that runs through all of these stories. The festivals we write about are not shows staged for visitors. They are acts of faith and community, and we are guests. Please dress modestly, follow the instructions of organisers and attendants, ask before taking photographs of people and rituals, and never touch sacred objects without permission. In Kullu, give the deities’ palanquins space. In Bastar, remember that you are witnessing rituals that belong to specific communities, and that your respect is the price of admission.

Festival travel also places a heavy burden on the towns that host it. Book your stay early, travel light, carry your own water bottle, and dispose of your rubbish properly. Support local artisans and small food stalls. Leave each place as joyful as you found it.

A note on safety

Dussehra crowds can be enormous, and the fireworks inside effigies are powerful. Watch from a safe distance, keep children close, agree on meeting points, and plan how you will return to your room before night falls. Above all, be patient. Festival travel rewards those who slow down.

The moment I remember

Of all the Dussehras I have seen, the one I remember most clearly is not the biggest. It was a morning on the road near Kullu, when we stopped to let a small procession pass. A dozen villagers carried a palanquin on their shoulders, their deity’s silver face glinting in the sun, while two men blew long brass horns that echoed across the valley. An old woman in the group smiled at us, pressed a handful of puffed rice into my hand and walked on. They had been walking for two days to reach the festival. There were no crowds, no stage, no fireworks, just faith and an autumn morning. That is the Dussehra I hope you find.

Looking ahead

After the festivals, November turns quieter. Our next issue is devoted to the yoga retreat, from the ashrams of Rishikesh to quieter corners of the Himalaya, with honest advice on choosing a retreat, what to skip and how to make a few days of stillness truly count. I hope you will join us.

Until then, wishing you and your family a joyful Dussehra, and thank you for travelling with us. Write and tell us how you celebrated; your letters are one of the great pleasures of this job.

May this season bring light into your home and good roads beneath your feet.

With warm festive wishes,

Khushi Anand, Editor
Travel Viewpoint