24 October 2012 Last updated at 11:01

In pictures: India celebrates Dussehra festival

Indian artists dressed as Hindu Lord Rama (2nd L), Sita (C), and Laxman (2nd R) put on their make-up before performing the Ramlila ahead of Dussehra in Amritsar

Hindus in India are celebrating the festival of Dussehra on Wednesday. The festival celebrates the triumph of the Hindu god Ram over the demon king Ravana, marking the victory of good over evil.

In this 21 October photo, artists prepare before going on stage for a traditional Ramlila drama

The festival is celebrated in large parts of India with Ramlila, a dramatic folk re-enactment of Ram's victory over the 10-headed Ravana, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana.

An artist performs during a Dussehra festival procession in Allahabad on 22 October 2012

Ramlila is staged annually, often over 10 or more successive nights, to mark the 10-day battle between Ram and Ravana.

Artists enact a fight from the epic Ramayana during a Dussehra festival celebrations in Allahabad on 20 October

In 2005, Unesco recognised the tradition of Ramlila as a "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity". Here, actors enact a fight from the Ramayana on stage.

Actors prepare backstage for their performance in Ramlila

Actors rehearse for weeks before the performances begin. The plays are high on drama and often use humour to convey their message to the audiences.

Young Indian artist Ajay Kumar, 15, prepares for a show backstage at the Maharashtra Ramlila Manch in Mumbai on October 18, 2012

Here, 15-year-old actor Ajay Kumar gets ready for his performance at the Maharashtra Ramlila Manch in Mumbai.

Artists sit on a chariot dressed as Hindu deities (from left) Lakshman, Ram and Sita during a Dussehra procession in Allahabad on 21 October

In many cities and towns, actors dressed up as Ram, his wife Sita and brother Lakshman are taken through the streets on a chariot in a Dussehra procession.

A Hindu devotee carries a young girl as they watch a Dussehra procession early morning in the northern Indian city of Allahabad

The processions are a huge hit and attract young and old alike. In this photo, a Hindu devotee carries a young girl as they watch a Dussehra procession in Allahabad city.

Indian devotees load an effigy of the Hindu demon King Ravana onto a truck in Amritsar on October 23, 2012

The festival culminates on Dussehra night with devotees burning effigies of Ravana which are lit with fire-crackers in open grounds across the country to celebrate the defeat of evil.

Indian traders burn an effigy representing a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Ravana in Delhi on 23 October 2012

This year, some are using the festival to make a political statement. In Delhi, those opposed to the government's recent plans to open up the retail sector to foreign supermarket chains burnt an effigy representing Foreign Direct Investment.

India

In pictures: India celebrates Dussehra festival

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