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Police officers hold a 9mm pistol as they offer prayers in front of weapons, as part of a ritual for the Dussehra festival in Ahmedabad October 24, 2012. Dussehra is the Hindu festival which commemorates the triumph of Lord Rama over Ravana, marking the victory of good over evil.Reuters 
A woman paints dried clay lamps at her workplace as her daughter watches, on the outskirts of Jammu November 5, 2012.Reuters 
Spectators look at an effigy of the 10-headed demon King Ravana before it is burnt during the festival of Dussehra in Srinagar October 24, 2012. Effigies of King Ravana are burnt on Dussehra, the Hindu festival that commemorates the triumph of Hindu god Rama over the Ravana, marking the victory of good over evil.Reuters 
Kashmiri children dressed as Hindu Lord Rama (C), Lakhsman (L) and Hanuman rest before effigies of 10-headed demon King Ravana, Meghnad and Khumbkarna are set on fire during the festival of Dussehra in Srinagar October 24, 2012. The effigies are burnt on Dussehra, the Hindu festival that commemorates the triumph of Hindu god Rama over the Ravana, marking the victory of good over evil.Reuters 
A woman paints a dried clay lamp at her workplace on the outskirts of Jammu November 5, 2012.Reuters 
Photographers take pictures of an effigy of Meghnad after it is set on fire, next to an effigy of the 10-headed demon King Ravana during the festival of Dussehra in Srinagar October 24, 2012. The effigies are burnt on Dussehra, the Hindu festival that commemorates the triumph of Hindu god Rama over the Ravana, marking the victory of good over evil.Reuters 
Fire crackers are set-off before effigies of the 10-headed demon King Ravana, Meghnad and Khumbkarna are set on fire during the festival of Dussehra in Srinagar October 24, 2012. The effigies are burnt on Dussehra, the Hindu festival that commemorates the triumph of Hindu god Rama over the Ravana, marking the victory of good over evil.Reuters 
Women pray during the Hindu festival of Karva Chauth inside a temple in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh November 2, 2012.Reuters 
People walk in front of the effigies of the demon King Ravana, his son Meghnad (L) and brother Kumbhkarana (R) before they are set on fire during the Hindu festival of Dussehra in Jammu October 24, 2012.The effigies are burnt during Dussehra, the Hindu festival that commemorates the triumph of Hindu Lord Rama over Ravana, marking the victory of good over evil.Reuters 
A girl carries the head of an idol after immersion of an idol of Hindu goddess Durga into the waters of the river Mahananda on the last day of the Durga Puja festival in Siliguri October 24, 2012. In Hindu mythology, Durga symbolises power and the triumph of good over evil. The Durga Puja is the biggest religious festival of Bengali Hindus.Reuters 
Kashmiri children react as effigies of 10-headed demon King Ravana, his son Meghnad and brother Khumbkarna are set on fire during the festival of Dussehra in Srinagar October 24, 2012. The effigies are burnt on Dussehra, the Hindu festival that commemorates the triumph of Hindu god Rama over the Ravana, marking the victory of good over evil.Reuters 
A woman reacts as she is smeared with "sindur", or vermillion powder, as part of a ritual on the last day of the Durga Puja festival in Chandigarh October 24, 2012.Reuters 
Hindu women apply "sindhur", or vermillion powder, on each other as part of a ritual in front of an idol of Hindu goddess Durga on the last day of the Durga Puja festival in the northeastern Indian city of Siliguri October 24, 2012. In Hindu mythology, Durga symbolises power and the triumph of good over evil. The Durga Puja is the biggest religious festival of Bengali Hindus.Reuters 
A boy jumps as devotees immerse an idol of Hindu goddess Durga into the waters of the river Mahananda on the last day of the Durga Puja festival in Siliguri October 24, 2012.Reuters 
Devotees pray in front of an idol of Hindu goddess Durga on the banks of the river Haura during the immersion ceremony on the last day of the Durga Puja festival in Agartala, Tripura, October 24, 2012.Reuters 
A policeman offers prayers in front of weapons as part of a ritual for the Dussehra festival in Ahmedabad October 24, 2012.Reuters 
Hindu devotees hold earthen lamps to perform "Aarti" during the celebrations to mark the Navratri festival at Surat in Gujarat October 22, 2012.Reuters 
A woman walks past an effigy of demon king Ravana during preparations for the upcoming festival of Dussehra in Delhi October 21, 2012.Reuters 
Hindu devotees hold torches to perform "Aarti" during the celebrations to mark the Navratri festival at Surat in Gujarat October 22, 2012.Reuters 
Devotees hold earthen lamps to perform "Aarti" during the celebrations to mark the Navratri festival at Surat in Gujarat October 22, 2012.Reuters 
Hindu devotees hold earthen lamps to perform "Aarti" during the celebrations to mark the Navratri festival at Surat in Gujarat October 22, 2012.Reuters 
Hindu devotees perform Garba, a traditional folk dance, during the celebrations to mark the Navratri festival at Surat in Gujarat October 22, 2012.Reuters 
Ushaben Dave, 65, wearing a metal structure consisting of 1,151 oil lamps, prays during a ritual known as Aarti at the Navratri festival in Ahmedabad October 21, 2012.Reuters 
Labourers unload garlands of marigold flowers to sell at a wholesale flower market ahead of the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata October 19, 2012.Reuters 
An artisan gives finishing touches to an effigy of demon king Ravana in preparations for the upcoming Hindu festival of Dussehra in Chandigarh October 18, 2012.Reuters 
Kulbhushan, 38, a performer, gets makeup applied backstage before performing the role of the demon king Ravana in a religious play, as part of Dussehra festival celebrations in Jammu October 17, 2012.Reuters 
Hindu devotees with earthen oil lamps pray inside a temple during the Navratri festival in Chandigarh October 16, 2012.Reuters 
A girl dressed as a Hindu Goddess sits on the banks of river Ganga during the Navratri festival in Allahabad October 16, 2012.Reuters 
An artisan works on a face made of polystyrene for the Durga Puja festival in Agartala, capital of Tripura October 14, 2012.Reuters 
Men work on a pandal, a temporary platform, being built for the Durga Puja festival, in Kolkata October 13, 2012.Reuters 
Drummers practice on their traditional drums called "Dhak" during their rehearsal for the upcoming Durga Puja festival at Machalandapur village on the outskirts of Kolkata October 7, 2012.Reuters 
An artisan sprays paint on idols ahead of the Durga Puja festival at Machalandapur village on the outskirts of Kolkata October 6, 2012.Reuters 
Hindus offer prayers on the banks of river Ganges on the holy day of "Mahalaya" in Kolkata October 15, 2012.Reuters 
Devotees carry an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga to be immersed into the sea on the Marina beach, during the last day of the Durga Puja festival in Chennai October 24, 2012. In Hindu mythology, Durga symbolises power and the triumph of good over evil. The Durga Puja is the biggest religious festival of Bengali Hindus. The festival culminates with the immersion of the idols.Reuters
Autumn is a season of festivals in India. People across the country recently observed Navratri, also known as Dussehra or Durga Puja in different regions. The season will end with Diwali or the festival of lights in November.
Navratri lasts for nine days dedicated to shakti or the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Devotees from some regions celebrate only for three days while others observe the festival for five days.
People celebrate festivals with much pomp and show but the manner of celebration differs from place to place. In the Iyer community of Tamil Nadu, women are invited home and gifted with accessories like bangles, earrings, etc. to wish her and her husband long and happy life together.
In Andhra Pradesh, Navratri is a celebration of universal motherhood. Women folks prepare a Batukamma, which is made up of flowers with seven layers, and dance around it while singing folk songs in praises of Goddess Shakti before sending it afloat across waters.
People from different states - Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Maharashtra and others - celebrate in different ways but Goddess Durga is the centre of the festivities.
A few weeks after Navratri comes Diwali, which is celebrated between October and November based on the Hindu lunar calendar. It falls on Nov 13 this year.
Diwali is a five-day festival celebrating the victory of 'good over evil' and 'light over darkness'. It commemorates the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after a 14-year-long exile. Legend has it that he killed demon-king Ravana and returned to the capital with Sita and Lakshmana.
Hindus around the country and abroad celebrate Diwali with great pomp by bursting firecrackers and lighting up homes with oil lamps.
