Dussehra festival: Elected representatives call people for saving water

Dussehra celebrations across the erstwhile Adilabad district featured Ravana Dahan, cultural programmes, prayers and traditional exchange of Jammi leaves. Elected representatives urged water conservation, while people joined Durga Navaratri processions and celebrations across Adilabad, Nirmal, Mancherial and Asifabad

Adilabad: Dussehra was celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety across the erstwhile Adilabad district on Tuesday evening.

Effigies of Ravana were burnt to mark the festival, symbolising the victory of good over evil. Cultural programmes were organised across Adilabad, Nirmal, Kumuram Bheem Asifabad and Mancherial districts. People from all walks of life gathered at venues for the traditional Ravana Dahan.

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Later, people exchanged greetings by sharing leaves of the sacred Jammi tree (Prosopis cineraria) after offering special prayers.

Elected representatives who attended the events as chief guests urged people to conserve water amid concerns over El Niño conditions. Bellampalli MLA G. Vinod, for instance, appealed to people not to waste water washing cars or cleaning homes, citing declining groundwater levels. Municipal chairperson Dawa Swathi echoed similar concerns.

In some places, people joined processions organised as part of the Durga Devi Navaratri festivities and offered prayers to the deity. They danced to drumbeats and folk songs as part of the celebrations, creating a festive atmosphere across the four districts. Wine and meat outlets also reported brisk sales.

Local legislators participated in celebrations across the Adilabad, Bellampalli, Sirpur (T), Mancherial, Nirmal, Khanapur and Asifabad constituencies. MLAs Payal Shankar, A. Maheshwar Reddy, Vedma Bojju, Harish Babu, Kova Laxmi, Dr. Vivek and G. Vinod offered prayers at sacred plants and joined the celebrations.