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Effigies of Ravan, Meghnad, and Kumbhakaran, were set ablaze at the Parade Ground on Saturday, at an event that was attended by President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union ministers Harsh Vardhan, Vijay Goel and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari were also among those present.
Speaking at the event, Modi said that festivals "are a medium of education and teach us unity. It has been thousands of years, but the tales of Lords Rama and Krishna enhance consciousness in our society".
"We all should work towards growth and overall development of the society," President Kovind said.
Ahead of the event, the President, the Vice President and former Prime Minister Singh applied tilak on the foreheads of the Ramleela participants playing the roles of Rama, Laxmana and Hanuman, the chief protagonists of the epic Ramayana, parts of which are enacted during the Navratra celebrations.
BJP chief Amit Shah attended a Dussehra event nearby, organised by the Luv Kush Ram Lila committee near the Red Fort, while Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi attended the one organised by the Nav Shri Dharmik Lila Committee.
Video Editor: Sandeep Suman
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