Thousands watched as the twenty feet tall effigy of Ravana burned down to ashes, representing the victory of good over evil, at the Lake Pappaianni Park in New Jersey, October 4, 2025.
Organized by Indo-American Festivals Inc. (IAF), the 27th annual Dushahra Festival has become a special event in the tristate area, drawing people together for a full day of entertainment, cultural activities, and shopping.
IAF Vice President Raj Mittal said the Dushahra festival has become quite popular with Indians and non Indians alike. “The Indian food available at the festival and the burning of Ravan has been drawing huge crowds,” Mittal said, speaking to News India Times.
“Setting up the 20 feet effigy of Ravan was hard work,” Mittal said. Originally designed by the late architect Krishan Gopal, this year’s effigy was created by IAF Long Island President Dr. Goyal. Goyal and Damayanti Goyal also supervised its dismantling in transportable parts which were driven to the venue and then put together by expert handimen, taking more than 6 hours, Mittal said.
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Speaking at the event, chief guest, Edison Mayor Sam Joshi said he had been watching the event organized very efficiently for the past many years, and looked forward to seeing it continue and grow. Joshi distributed plaques and honors to special guests. Council member Ajay Patil was a special guest.
Preparations for the event took the whole year, Mittal said. He said the team began working in late December last year, sending in application and waiting for venue approval. Fixing the date and a rain date all require permissions without which no logistics could be worked on, he added.
The event was made possible with a grant from the Middlesex County which helped in covering essential expenses. “The venue was provided by the Township of Edison,” Mittal said.
The event’s chief sponsors included PNC Bank, HindiUSA, Suhag Jewelers, New York Life, Lemfi, ICICI Bank, ITV Gold and Parikh Worldwide Media.
Other guests included IAF Chair Chanchal Gupta, Vice Chair Raj Mittal, President Shiva Arya, IAF Long Island Chapter President Dr. Ravindra Goyal, Damayanti Goyal, Vishv Jeet, Shalini Chhabra, and countless other volunteers.
A special feature of the celebration was a free medical camp organized by the NJ based Agrawal Samaj USA. The 20-year old organization has been helping plan and manage events, Mittal said. The camp was a busy, full day event, with medical specialists including cardiologists, pulmonologists, and endocrinologists, performing free blood work, diagnosis and treatment consultations. “A number of visiting parents took advantage of it”, Mittal said.
Security and fire safety regulations were managed by the township police and fire department which checked every single thing from the effigy to the food stalls, the vendor stalls and the tents for regulatory compliance and safety, according to Mittal. Water fountains were also installed near the effigy.
A special performance of Ramleela choreographed and directed by Navrang Dance Academy, with more than 75 artists kept the audiences glued to their seats. Other cultural activities included dances, music, skits and drama. Area dance schools showcased their talent. HindiUSA kids performed a play on Ramayana. A special supervising committee had ensured that all items were decent and proper for the occasion.
NJ based artist Mayur fascinated the audience with his sand art where he drew palaces and figures from Ramayana on sand with his fingers, which were then projected on the LED screen with sound and music.
Other attractions included about 75 stalls of jewelry, clothing, handicrafts, financial companies, travel agents, HindiUSA, and more. The food stalls attracted large crowds.
The day ended with burning of Ravan’s effigy and fireworks.