On the evening of Vijayadashami 2026, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stepped onto the grounds of Raipur's historic WRS Maidan to be part of the Shriram Vijayadashami Utsav — invoking a centuries-old verse from the Ramcharitmanas to frame the festival's meaning for the state he governs.

Posting on X on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, the Chief Minister opened with the Tulsidas couplet: 'Jab-jab hoi dharam ke haani, baarhahi asur adham abhimaani. Tab-tab Prabhu dhari vividh shareera, harahi kripaanidhi sajjan peera' — 'Whenever righteousness declines and the arrogant and ignoble flourish, the Lord takes form and, in his mercy, relieves the suffering of the virtuous.' The verse, drawn from the Ramcharitmanas, set the philosophical register for the evening.

What the festival commemorates — and what Sai said

Vijayadashami, celebrated on the tenth day of the Shukla Paksha of Ashwin, marks Lord Rama's victory over Ravana — the triumph of dharma over adharma, truth over falsehood, justice over injustice. CM Sai described the occasion as a reminder that 'however arduous the path of truth may be, victory always belongs to truth and righteousness.'

He held up Lord Ram — Maryada Purushottam, the supreme exemplar of virtue — as a model of sacrifice, dignity, patience, courage, and duty. His message to residents of Chhattisgarh: absorb those values into daily conduct and channel them toward building a 'strong and prosperous Chhattisgarh' (sashakt aur samriddh Chhattisgarh).

WRS Maidan and the tradition behind the event

Raipur's WRS Maidan is one of the city's established open grounds for large public gatherings, and the Shriram Vijayadashami Utsav held there carries the weight of a civic tradition. Dussehra celebrations in state capitals across India typically feature Ravana effigy burnings, Ram Lila performances, and public addresses by elected officials — a format that fuses religious observance with civic messaging.

Chief Ministers attending and speaking at such events is standard practice in Indian political culture, with leaders from across party lines using the occasion to draw parallels between mythological themes and contemporary governance goals. For Sai, the link was explicit: Ramayana values as the foundation for Chhattisgarh's development.

The post concluded with greetings to all residents of the state — 'Pradeshvasiyon ko Vijayadashami ki hardik badhai evam shubhkamnayen. Jai Shriram!' — and was accompanied by four images from the event.

As the smoke from Raipur's Ravana effigies cleared on Tuesday night, the Chief Minister's message carried a simple, durable point: the oldest story in the culture still has instructions for the present. Chhattisgarh, he said, is meant to be built in that spirit.