Delhi's Dussehra celebrations to feature giant cockroach effigy. You read that right

Delhi's Keshav Ramlila will burn a cockroach effigy alongside three traditional figures. The addition gives the city's familiar Dussehra ritual an unexpected symbolic twist.Delhi’s Dussehra celebrations to feature giant cockroach effigyNew Delhi,Oct 20, 2026 18:12 ISTDussehra celebrations are usually marked by the burning of Ravana, Meghnath and Kumbhakarna, but this year, a Ramlila event in Delhi's Pitampura has added an unusual fourth effigy to the ritual: a cockroach.At the Keshav Ramlila in Netaji Subhash Place, Pitampura, the insect will also be set ablaze as part of a symbolic gesture aimed at burning away the “evil” associated with it.Watch the video here:The addition makes the event stand out from the familiar Dussehra tradition, in which effigies of the three mythological figures are burnt to mark the victory of good over evil. This time, the cockroach has been included alongside them, giving the celebration an unexpected twist. The effigy has been prepared specifically for the occasion and will be burnt along with those of Ravana, Meghnath and Kumbhakarna.While the three traditional figures are drawn from the Ramayana, the cockroach is an unusual addition to the line-up, making this year's Dussehra celebrations stand out from the usual Ramlila spectacle. - Ends