Celebrations Mark Dussehra and Vijayadashami Across Regions

Festivities filled cities and neighborhoods as citizens celebrated Dussehra and Vijayadashami, bringing the multi-day holiday celebrations to a close. Public gatherings and intimate household rituals highlighted the cultural significance of the day, with various prominent figures and entertainment personalities sharing their celebrations with the public.

In Kolkata, several Bengali actresses including Mimi Chakraborty, Srabanti Chatterjee, Darshana Banik, Rupsha Mukherjee, Koushani Mukherjee, and Rituparna Sengupta participated in a traditional Sindoor Khela event organized by Sanatani Sanga on the final day of Durga Puja. Political leaders, including Locket Chatterjee, also attended the celebrations at the pandal where women applied vermilion to one another to symbolize marital bliss and bid farewell to Goddess Durga.

Reflecting on the atmosphere, Locket Chatterjee stated, "Wishing everyone a Happy Vijayadashami... Mother had come here for 4 days, and everyone celebrated Durga Puja very well.... During this time, people come here, and even people from outside come for darshan. There's a very good atmosphere." Other attendees, such as actress Darshana Banik, noted that the gathering provided a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow artists and experience the local traditions firsthand.

In Mumbai, actress Soha Ali Khan celebrated the occasion through public festivities and quiet rituals at home. She visited the North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Juhu, where she joined in the traditional Dhunuchi dance, before returning home to perform personal rituals alongside her young daughter, Inaaya Naumi Kemmu. Sharing her thoughts on social media, she emphasized the importance of family heritage, stating, "For the beats of the dhaak, the dhunuchi dance, the mishti, the sarees and sindoor, and that unmistakable feeling of coming home.. happy Durga Pujo!!"

Celebrity families also marked the occasion privately and publicly. Actor Priyanka Chopra shared candid images from a home pooja on Instagram, featuring her husband Nick Jonas and their daughter Malti Marie participating in the holiday rituals. Meanwhile, newly married actors Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna celebrated their first Dussehra together, sharing traditional portraits in ethnic wear and reminding followers that good always triumphs over evil.

As the festive period concluded, environmental conditions in the national capital shifted. Delhi woke up to a layer of haze and deteriorating air quality following the Dussehra celebrations. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System, the Air Quality Index is forecast to remain in the poor category until October 23 as cooler weather and winter approach.

Meteorological data indicated that Delhi recorded an AQI of 179 in the moderate category prior to the forecast drop, while daily temperatures hovered below seasonal averages. Officials noted that regional factors such as agricultural stubble burning and local emissions continue to impact regional air quality during the cooler months, prompting the government to roll out upcoming winter pollution action plans.