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Inside Bastar Dussehra: India's Unique 75-Day Festival With No Ravana Dahan
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News18•14-10-2026, 16:38
Inside Bastar Dussehra: India's Unique 75-Day Festival With No Ravana Dahan
- •Bastar Dussehra spans nearly 75 days in Chhattisgarh and is one of India's most unique festival celebrations.
- •Unlike traditional Dussehra celebrations across India, there are no Ravana effigies or burning rituals.
- •The festival centers on local deities, centuries-old tribal traditions, elaborate chariot processions, and community participation.
- •Originating over 600 years ago under Maharaja Purushottam Dev, the festival involves more than twenty distinct rituals.
- •Key events include Pat Jatra, Kachhin Gadi, Jogi Bithai, Mavli Parghav, and the grand wooden chariot procession in Jagdalpur.
Key Questions Answered
Unlike mainstream Dussehra celebrations that feature the burning of Ravana effigies and fireworks, Bastar Dussehra spans roughly 75 days and focuses entirely on local deities, centuries-old tribal rituals, and massive wooden chariot processions without any Ravana Dahan.
Local history traces the festival back over 600 years to the 15th century under Maharaja Purushottam Dev, who reportedly received a sacred chariot after a pilgrimage to Jagannath Puri, a tradition that later moved to Jagdalpur in the 17th century.
The official 2026 festival began with the Pat Jatra ritual on August 12, with the main Dussehra phase scheduled for October 18 through October 22, and Bhitar Raini taking place on October 20.
