Jaipur, Rajasthan
One of the most popular Dussehra festivals is held in the city of Jaipur. Innumerable bazaars and fairs are organized for several days leading up to the main festival, when the Royal Dussehra Procession is taken out on the City Palace grounds. Gigantic effigies of Ravana, along with his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnaad, are erected in public places and set ablaze amid much fanfare and fireworks on Dussehra evening.
Mysore, Karnataka
Dussehra or Dasara (as it is called here) festival has a 400-year history in the majestic city of Mysore and is recognized as perhaps the best Dussehra festival in India. The main attraction of the 10-day extravaganza is the grand Mysore Palace which is illuminated every evening by 10 million light bulbs while several dance, music and drama performances are held in the palace grounds depicting the vibrant culture of Mysore. The Jumbo Savari or Elephant Procession in the evening followed by a torchlight parade at the Banni tree grounds are must-see events if you travel to India during Dussehra.
Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
Kullu Dussehra, which unlike the rest of the country begins on Dussehra day and continues for a week thereafter, constitutes an international folk festival as well and is a great time to travel to India. Over a hundred gods and goddesses are mounted on colourful palanquins and taken out in procession to assemble at a spot in Dhalpur on the sixth day of the festival. The next day, a symbolic fire is burnt and the idols are taken back to their original abodes. At night the International Cultural Festival kicks off at the open-air amphitheatre, Kala Kendra. Various artisans come down from all over India to showcase and sell their wares.
Kolkata, West Bengal
New Delhi
Browse through Shanti Travel’s festival tours http://www.shantitravel.com/en/fair-festivals/