Varanasi: Little girls were worshipped as the form of Goddess Durga and were served meals during Kanya Pujan on the day of Mahanavami of Navaratri on Monday. Kanya Pujan was also performed at temples, Puja pandals, ashrams and mutts of the city on the ninth day of the festival. Locals also invited little girls at their homes and served them meals and gave them gifts after worshipping them and performing their aarti.Meanwhile, preparations of Dussehra intensified with installation of the effigies of demon king Ravana at the prominent Ramleela grounds including Banaras Locomotive Works and others. The preparations for the episode of Ravana-Vadh were also seen in full swing at BLW and other Ramleelas of the city. A 75 ft tall effigy of Ravana along with effigies of Kumbhkarna (70 ft) and Meghnad (65 ft) were erected at the BLW ground. Similarly, preparations of Ravan dahan were evident at other grounds also. The Dandiya festival also witnessed a huge participation on the ninth day of the festival. Ahead of the Dussehra and Vijayadasahami celebrations, the district administration and police officials remained busy in reviewing security, crowd regulation and traffic diversion arrangements made for the festival in the city. Elaborate arrangements have been made for the idol immersion at the identified water bodies and for the security and regulation of the immersion processions.We also published the following articles recentlyCity prepares for grand Ravana Dahan on DussehraThe city of Ranchi is preparing for the celebration of Dussehra, with the main event being the burning of effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarna, and Meghnad. The effigies will be 70ft, 65ft, and 60ft tall respectively. Chief Minister Hemant Soren will be responsible for setting fire to the effigies. The event will also include extravagant fireworks, ambulance services, drinking water provisions, and cultural performances. The tradition of Ravana Dahan was started in Ranchi in 1948 by the Punjabi Hindu Biradari.Tallest Ravana effigy (171 feet) unveiled in Panchkula for Dussehra celebrationsThe tallest Ravana effigy of the year has been unveiled in Panchkula, Haryana, in preparation for the upcoming Vijaya Dashmi celebrations. Standing at 171 feet, it was constructed at a cost of Rs 18 lakh and took three months to complete. Tejinder Singh Chouhan, the creator, has previously been recognized in the Limca Book of Records and Guinness World Records. The effigy is equipped with 12 electric points and will be set on fire on October 24, symbolizing the victory of good over evil.40-ft waterproof Ravana effigy in RajrappaTo protect the effigies of demon king Ravana, Meghnad, and Kumbhkarna from bad weather and rain, waterproof versions have been created by artisans from Gaya in Bihar. The 40-foot tall effigy of Ravana will be installed in Central Coalfields Limited residential colony ground in Rajrappa, and the event will be held on Sidhu-Kanhu ground. The decision to create waterproof effigies was made by the Rajrappa Durga Puja Committee due to previous incidents where covering the effigies became problematic.

Stay updated with all the Varanasi Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.