PM Modi likely to attend Dussehra at Delhi's IP Extension on Tuesday
Synopsis
Prime Minister Modi is set to attend Dussehra at IP Extension in Delhi on Tuesday — a return to form after last year's rain-cancelled East Delhi visit. Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah heads to Ludhiana, where an effigy of drug abuse will burn alongside Ravan's, turning a religious event into a pointed political statement on Punjab's drug crisis.
Key Takeaways
PM Narendra Modi is reportedly scheduled to attend Dussehra celebrations at IP Extension, New Delhi , on Tuesday, 19 October 2026 .
Elaborate arrangements are underway; official confirmation is still pending, according to sources.
Last year, Modi's Dussehra visit to Patparganj, East Delhi was cancelled due to heavy rainfall.
In 2024 , Modi attended Ramleela at Parade Ground near the Red Fort alongside President Droupadi Murmu .
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will attend a Ravana Dahan event in Ludhiana, Punjab , where a drug-abuse effigy will also be burned.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reportedly set to attend the grand Dussehra celebrations at IP Extension in New Delhi on Tuesday, 19 October 2026, according to sources familiar with the arrangements. Elaborate security and logistical preparations are underway to ensure the smooth conduct of the event ahead of the Prime Minister's expected participation.
The Dussehra Tradition
Dussehra, one of India's most widely observed Hindu festivals, marks the victory of good over evil — symbolised by the ceremonial burning of effigies of the demon king Ravan, along with Meghnath and Kumbhkaran. The festival draws massive crowds across the country and is celebrated with religious fervour, Ramleela performances, and public gatherings.
Modi's History at Delhi Dussehra Events
Prime Minister Modi has a well-established pattern of attending prominent Dussehra and Ramleela events in the national capital. In 2024, he joined President Droupadi Murmu at the Ramleela celebrations at Parade Ground near the Red Fort, organised by the Shri Dharmik Leela Committee. In both 2023 and 2019, he participated in the Ravan Dahan ceremony at Dwarka Sector 10, hosted by the Shri Ramleela Society, where he also performed traditional puja and aarti for artists portraying Lord Rama, Sita, Laxman, and Hanuman.
In 2022, the Prime Minister travelled to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh for Dussehra celebrations, coinciding with a historic Deepotsav event in the temple town. Last year, however, his scheduled visit to the Patparganj event in East Delhi on 2 October was cancelled owing to heavy rainfall — a rare disruption to his consistent festival-participation record.
Amit Shah in Ludhiana for Ravan Dahan
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is separately scheduled to attend a Ravana Dahan programme in Ludhiana, Punjab, on Tuesday evening. The event carries an additional layer of messaging: alongside the traditional burning of Ravan's effigy, an effigy symbolising drug abuse will also be set ablaze — drawing public attention to the ongoing drug crisis that has long plagued Punjab. The dual-effigy format is expected to amplify anti-drug awareness among the large gathering anticipated at the venue.
What to Watch
The Prime Minister's confirmed attendance at IP Extension is yet to be officially announced; all current reports are sourced from officials close to the arrangements. If the visit proceeds as expected, it will mark Modi's return to an East Delhi Dussehra venue after last year's rain-enforced cancellation. Both events — in Delhi and Ludhiana — signal a broader effort by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to maintain visible cultural and religious outreach ahead of the festive season.
Point of View
Amit Shah's Ludhiana event — pairing the burning of Ravan with an effigy of drug abuse — illustrates how the BJP is converting religious gatherings into platforms for governance messaging, particularly in a state it lost to the AAP. Whether that messaging lands beyond the spectacle remains the harder question.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is PM Modi expected to attend Dussehra celebrations in 2026?
PM Modi is reportedly expected to attend the Dussehra celebrations at IP Extension in New Delhi on Tuesday, 19 October 2026. Preparations are underway, though an official confirmation is yet to be made.
Has PM Modi attended Dussehra events in Delhi before?
Yes, Modi has regularly attended Dussehra and Ramleela events in Delhi. He joined President Droupadi Murmu at Parade Ground near the Red Fort in 2024, and participated in Ravan Dahan at Dwarka Sector 10 in both 2023 and 2019.
Why was PM Modi's 2025 Dussehra visit cancelled?
His scheduled visit to the Dussehra event at Patparganj in East Delhi on 2 October 2025 was cancelled due to heavy rainfall on the day of the event.
What is Amit Shah doing on Dussehra 2026?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to attend a Ravana Dahan programme in Ludhiana, Punjab, on Tuesday evening. An effigy symbolising drug abuse will also be burned alongside Ravan's effigy to highlight Punjab's drug problem.
What is the significance of burning a drug-abuse effigy at the Ludhiana Dussehra event?
The dual-effigy format — burning both Ravan and a symbol of drug abuse — is intended to draw public attention to the drug crisis in Punjab. The event is seen as combining the traditional festival message of good over evil with a social awareness campaign targeting a persistent public health concern in the state.
