Every year, Dussehra transforms towns and cities across India into spectacular celebrations of the victory of good over evil. Crowds gather to watch towering effigies of Ravana, the king of Lanka from the Ramayana, go up in flames. The ritual symbolises Lord Rama's victory over Ravana and the triumph of righteousness over wrongdoing. Yet, away from the familiar spectacle of fireworks and burning effigies, a different tradition continues in several parts of the country.
