EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, October 4, 2014 (Edinburgh Evening News): Bagpipes and fiddles will merge with tribal belly dancers and a Bollywood band to celebrate the Capital’s 20th Dussehra Festival tomorrow. Around 5000 people are expected to gather for the annual Hindu festival on Calton Hill, which celebrates good conquering evil. Symbolic 25 ft effigies of the demons Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghnad will be set alight on top of the hill to commemorate the victory, which took place thousands of years ago.
The burning is the climax of a day full of activities celebrating Dussehra, along with a fireworks display which takes place against the spectacular backdrop of the Edinburgh cityscape. It is one of the largest free independent festivals in Scotland – something its organisers are proud they are able to provide to the residents of Edinburgh and further afield.
This year it features a fantastic cultural programme integrating Scottish and Indian music and dance.