We arrive in Kota on the 21st of October in the afternoon, to join the last part of the festival. In the centre of the festival ground, three huge effigies are erected. The biggest one is the demon king Ravana, and the other two are his bad companions. The effigies are made of paper and carton and are between 20 and 25 metres high. The Ravana effigy can even move his arms, mouth and eyes. The effigies that are filled with firecrackers will be set on fire after sunset. This must be a great spectacle! The destruction of the effigies is the highlight of the festival, but till that moment, the people can enjoy themselves at the fair that is organised around the effigies. The fairground attractions are very nice. There is an attraction whereby four small cars are assembled on an iron wheel, and that is turned around by hand to create a carousel effect. The kids have great fun. There are also several Ferris wheels. The fairground attractions all have one thing in common; they look to spectacular and to high for the way they are constructed. When one of the fair operators invites us for a ride, we friendly decline his invitation.

Another attraction that is very popular are two white travellers. The man is tall and the woman is short, and they both wear glasses. It is us. Wherever we stop to look around or take a photo, a huge crowd is encircling us. They all smile, want to shake hands, make a short chat or just make a picture of us. The fair is a great place to make pictures, but it is difficult to make good ones. People are constantly trying to find a position in the frame of the photo. But it is still great fun! The festival is pure and authentic. It is a festival for the Indian people.

Two hours before the effigies are set on fire, we go back to the centre of the fair ground to find a good spot. There are already many people present. The organisation of the festival put carpets on the ground, so that people can sit on the ground. While we are trying to find a good spot, one of the supervisors asks us if we want to have a place in the press section. This is a separate section on the fair ground that is not so crowded. We like this place very much because it gives a good view on the effigies and the public. Also in the press section, we are an attraction. A local TV news channel wants to interview us and several newspapers ask us to pose in front of the effigies. The sun sets and it is becoming more and more crowded in the press section. Not only people from the press, but also other people who had the luck to meet a ‘friendly’ supervisor that gave them permission to see the spectacle from this great position. At seven o’clock the ceremony starts. The first part is a procession with performances that portray parts of the Ramayana. People with make-up and in beautiful dresses perform their show. There is also a lot of music that increases the festivity spirit. This is exactly how we like a festival: beautiful, cheerful, colourful and pure.

The effigy of Ravana is even bigger than his by now carbonized accomplices. He is the last one that is set on fire. The huge crowd is shouting with joy when Ravana catches fire. A warm piece of carton flutters against Ivonne’s face. This is the time that we think it is wise to take more distance. The sea of flames is huge, and more people decide to find a safer place. One of the burning pieces falls down in the crowds and a piece of carpet catches fire. There is some panic and the fire brigade comes into action. Fortunately, some supervisors already managed to put out the fire with their feet. Meanwhile, Ravana is still burning and gives with some firecracker bangs his last convulsions. After Ravana felt into ashes some last fireworks was shot in the air, marking the end of the festival. We really enjoyed the festival and are very happy that we planned our journey in a way that we could be present on this great event. This festival is really recommended!

See also the photo impression of the Dussehra Festival in Kota