Sonia Gandhi Congress president adjoined by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Vice President Hamid Ansari witnessed the blazing of the idol of Ravana, a symbol of evil, to mark the celebration of Dussehera on Thursday at Subhash Maidan near the historic Red Fort.

Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, lt governor Tejendra Khanna and union communications minister Kapil Sibal were also present.Sitting at an embellished dais, the leaders watched the great spectacle of fireworks and the burning of effigies of Meghnad and Kumbhkaran -- son and brother of Ravana -- before the demon-king was himself set alight.        

The festival coincided with the last day of Durga Puja, when goddess Durga received a warm farewell from earth as she returne to her celestial abode.

Gandhi, who made her second public appearance after her recovery from an undisclosed ailment, looked crisp and relaxed in a burgundy red cotton sari embellished with Bengali “tangail” motifs of “botis (circular motifs)” and “mangoes”.

In north India, Dussehera also marks the conclusion of Navratras (nine days of ritual fasts for Hindus).

While there was fasting and feasting during Navratra, crowds also thronged Ramlila venues.

Ramlila, plays based on the life of Ram, is enacted at numerous places in north India to show his journey as a prince, his 14-year exile in the forest, his wife Sita's abduction by Ravana, the king of Lanka, and the war fought to rescue her.