SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 12: Dussehra, symbolising the triumph of good over evil, was celebrated with great religious fervour here on Saturday.
The main Vijay Dashmi event was held successfully at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium, organised by the Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS), a group representing the non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits of the Valley.
The festival brought together diverse communities from the region to witness the symbolic burning of effigies of Ravana, Meghnath, and Kumbhkaran. National Conference President Farooq Abdullah also attended the celebrations and called upon Kashmiri Pandits to return to their homeland.
This unique event in the Kashmir Valley attracted a large gathering, including dignitaries, government officials, and local administrative officers, all participating in a spirit of unity, according to the KPSS. The organisation extended its heartfelt thanks to Puneet Balan and the Puneet Balan Group for their crucial support in making the event a grand success for the second consecutive year. Building on last year’s success, this year’s Dussehra further amplified the message of communal harmony, with people from various communities coming together to uphold Kashmir’s long standing traditions of unity.
In another significant celebration, the Dussehra festival at Baderkali Mandir in Handwara saw Kashmiri Pandits from across the Valley and India offering prayers for peace and harmony. Despite the challenging security environment, the event underscored Kashmir’s historical tradition of pluralism and the collective hope for peaceful coexistence in the region. Both communities used the Vijay Dashmi celebration to express their desire for a future based on reconciliation and mutual respect, highlighting the deep cultural and social bonds that have long united them.
Following the success of last year’s Dussehra celebration, this year’s event further strengthened the message of communal harmony. The symbolic burning of the effigies has now become a powerful representation of the shared cultural heritage between Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims, reinforcing the values of unity in diversity.
