The festival of Dussehra is celebrated in various Indian states with unique local traditions. Some prominent states where Dussehra is notably celebrated include:
- Karnataka: Famous for Mysore Dasara, a grand 10-day royal festival with processions, decorated elephants, and cultural programs. It is the state festival of Karnataka.
- Himachal Pradesh: Known for the week-long Kullu Dussehra celebration with processions worshiping Lord Raghunath and local deities, culminating in a bonfire representing Lanka's burning.
- West Bengal: Celebrated as Durga Puja, with elaborate pandals and worship of Goddess Durga. The festival concludes with the immersion of idols in rivers.
- Uttar Pradesh: Particularly in cities like Varanasi and Ayodhya, Dussehra is marked by religious devotion with events on the banks of the Ganga river.
- Rajasthan: Cities like Kota, Jaipur, and Jodhpur celebrate with cultural performances, processions, and Ramleela plays.
- Gujarat: Dussehra is celebrated as Navratri with folk dances like Garba, notably in Ahmedabad.
- Telangana and Andhra Pradesh: Celebrated as Bathukamma, a festival dedicated to Goddess Gauri in Telangana.
- Chhattisgarh: Bastar Dussehra is a unique tribal festival lasting 75 days, dedicated to Devi Danteshwari.
Thus, Dussehra is celebrated across multiple states in India, each with distinct cultural flavors. If specifying one state famous for Dussehra on a large scale, Karnataka (Mysore Dasara) stands out as the state festival. However, major celebrations also occur in Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
