Hindus in India are celebrating the triumph of good over evil with the festival of Dussehra (also known as Durga Puja, Vijaya Dashmi, Dadara and Dashain). Dussehra is the culmination of the nine-day Navaratri festival. It commemorates a mythical battle in which Lord Rama defeated the 10-headed demon king Ravana in order to save his wife Sita, who was held captive in the demon's kingdom of Lanka.

Dussehra Durga Puja Dashain Hindu festival Ravana
An Indian artist makes effigies of the Hindu demon king Ravana at a workshop in Hyderabad Noah Seelam/AFP

Many people of the Hindu faith observe Dussehra through special prayer meetings and food offerings to the gods at home or in temples. Devotees also hold outdoor fairs and large parades with effigies of the demon king Ravana, which are burned on bonfires in the evening. These effigies may be stuffed with fireworks to create a spectacular end to the festival. Occasionally these effigies bear the face of a real-life person considered to be an enemy – such as Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif. IBTimes UK presents photos from celebrations of Dussehra 2016 around the Indian subcontinent.