The festive calendar in India is far from uniform. As author Devdutt Pattanaik argues, just like Hindi isn’t a national language, Diwali and Dussehra are not national festivals—they are beloved, powerful regional expressions. 

In Kerala, the major celebration during the season is the Navaratri--led Vidyarambham and Ayudha Puja traditions, rather than the theatrical effigy-burning style of Dussehra or the commercialised Diwali lights. In Kashmir, the story is tied to history--the absence of royal sponsorship of Ram-Lila or a ruler-led procession meant Dussehra never assumed the scale seen elsewhere. Moreover, in Kashmir, the demographic shifts and displacement of the Pandit community altered the cycle of Ram-Lila and other public rituals; many festivals became quieter, family-oriented.

Thus, this isn’t about neglect or lesser value—it’s about cultural specificity. Each area follows its own “festival grammar”: what resonates, what symbols hold, which narratives dominate. Celebrations can be vibrant and meaningful even without fireworks, grand processions or effigy burnings. The takeaway: India’s diversity shows not just in language or food, but in how collective rituals, festivity and religious expression are anchored in place, community and history.