Dussehra 2000
- A day of festivity, a night of fireworks (UNI)

Dussehra, the Indian festival which marks the victory of good over evil, was celebrated with traditional fervor and gaiety across the country Saturday, 7th October 2000, with the jubilation culminating in the evening with spectacular fireworks lighting the blue-grey skies.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee joined the festivities at Ram Lila grounds where effigies of demon king Ravana, his son Meghnath and brother Kumbhakarna were burnt to the merriment of the vast congregation of people there.

Mythologically the festival marks the slaying of Lanka's demon king Ravana by Hindu God Rama and has come to be observed as the triumph of righteousness and truth.

Every locality was decked up for the occasion today. At the threshold of many homes hung quaint garlands of marigold and Mango leaves. Colorful Rangolis made with powder-paints and flowers, besides chalked geometrical patterns heralded the entrance of many Indian homes welcoming visitors.

The ambience was one of jubilation with crowd-pulling fairs, blaring music, communal lunches, prayers and an appetizing range of sweetmeats for every palate.

As evening descended people waited with an air of impatience for the magnificent fireworks.

Effigies of Ravana, Meghnath and Kumbhkarna were burnt to the burst of crackers in various parts of the capital.

The day also marks the culmination of the Bengali festival of Durga Puja and Navratra - the festival of nine nights.

In Lucknow, thousands of people gathered at the historic Begum Hazrat Mehal park where a 50-metre tall effigy of the demon king was burnt. That of his brother and son towered almost 40 feet.

Reports of Dussehra celebrations were also received from various parts of Uttar Pradesh including Allahabad, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Unnao, Rae Barelli, Sultanpur and Sitapur etc.

In Vijayawada, the celebrations came to a close with a grand float of Kanaka Durga and Malleswara Swamy on the revered river Krishna.

More than 1.5 million pilgrims from different parts of the country thronged the temple atop the Indrakiladri hill aside the holy Krishna during the nine day festival, Temple Executive Officer E Gopalakrishna Reddy said.

Netizens across the globe, especially Non-resident Indians, could have access to the live coverage of the ''Teppotasavam'' on the Internet. A visit to the portal ''templeandhra . com+ could enable the devotee to give online offerings to the goddess.

In Mumbai, people decorated the entrance of their homes with 'toran' of marigold flowers and mango leaves besides colourful 'rangolis'. Delicacies such as kheer and puri were cooked in most households. The idols of Goddess Durga were immersed in the Arabian Sea and other water embankments across the metropolis, amid chants of religious hymns.

Special poojas were performed and prasads were distributed. people from all communities joined the festival and exchanged greetings.

Meanwhile, the world famous week-long Dussehra celebrations began at Kullu, in northern state of Himachal Pradesh, Saturday with the traditional pulling of chariot of Lord Raghunatha, the Presiding Diety of Kullu valley.

Thousands of people, who had thronged the Dhalpur maidan on this occasion, witnessed the ''rath yatra'' amid a resounding applause.

The festival began Saturday morning with the arrival of Goddess Hadimba, demon wife of Bima and mother of the legendary Ghatotakcha, from her pagoda, at Dhungri in Manali.

In other parts of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, spectacular fireworks preceded the fiery end of the demon trio--Ravana, Kumbhakaran and Meghnath-- at dusk. The huge effigies, stuffed with crackers, came crashing down with a blast, turning the evening grey sky crimson. in Chandigarh city the main function was held at the parade ground here in sector 17 where thousands of people witnessed the culmination of 10-day-long colourful Dusshera festival.

In Shimla, people watched the burning of effigies at the Jakhu temple.
(UNI)