Located on the Delhi-Mumbai route, the ever busy town of Kota presents a different flavour of Rajasthan with the annual Dussehra festival holding an unusual lure for everyone.

Rich in royal splendour and age-old traditions, the Dussehra festival here is marked by a glittering procession that attracts thousands of tourists. Like all festivals in this desert state, it provides a good opportunity to the traders to display their attractive wares to the rural and urban buyers. Tourists have a wonderful time with the fair lasting for about a fortnight.

The colourful procession starting from the palace to the Dussehra Mela Ground  features decorated elephants, camels, horses and Kanjari folk artistes. Such a colourful presentation makes an august beginning to the fiesta. The special charm for tourists, besides the festivity, is the presence of numerous villagers from the surrounding areas who throng the venue in their traditional attire to participate in the cattle fair. This year, traditional sports, thematic handicraft shops and elaborate decorations would be the special attraction. 

It is quite unique for it marks more than just the beginning of a festive period. The more than 72-feet tall (one the tallest in the region) effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarana and Meghnad are burnt on Dussehra day.
Interestingly, the Ravana effigy is animated and constantly moves his sword, turns his head and flickers his eye lashes much to the cheer of the crowd.

Master artisan Sattar Bhai of Fatehpur Sikri engaged in the making of the effigy for the past many years, says, “Each head of the demon is blasted one by one and every year we try to give attractive new inputs to Ravana and his clan.” Usually these effigies are filled with a variety of crackers. A young child dressed as Lord Rama is made to shoot an arrow of fire at Ravana and the huge figure is instantly aflame.

The Kota Dussehra is all set this time to enthrall everyone with its multi-faceted cultural potpourri. After the traditional Ramlila and Ram Katha Vachan, a series of attractive events take off with Vijaya Dashmi. This year, according to the tourism department, Dussehra will feature Lakshmi Narayan ji ki Sawari and Rawan dahan (burning of the effigy of Ravana) at the mela ground. The colourful shobha yatra (from Kaithuni Pol) and the Bharat Milap event followed by the Shri Ram Abhishek (coronation of Lord Rama) ceremony at the Shri Ram Rangmanch would be an attractive one.