Hindu festival photos are about fire and water, good and evil — simple but universal concepts

In South Asia, the season of festivals turns on two ancient elements: fire and water.

The festival of Dussehra ends with flames, as enormous effigies of the demon King Ravana collapse in roaring pyres, a dramatic celebration of Hindu deity Lord Rama’s victory and a reminder that arrogance and cruelty can be consumed by fire. Smoke and thunder echo through the night, blending devotion and spectacle.

Durga Puja closes with a different crescendo. The festival celebrates the feminine divine by venerating Goddess Durga, who is worshipped as the mother of the universe and for her triumph over the mythological demon Mahishasura.

Across eastern India, Bangladesh and parts of Myanmar, the festival ended with vibrant processions — music pounding, drums rolling, crowds chanting — carrying statues of the goddess Durga to rivers and ponds. There, amid song and splashing water, her clay form is immersed, dissolving into the currents. The ritual is both a farewell and a renewal, a riot of sound and color.

One ends in fire, the other in water. Both seek to convey the same message: the struggle between good and evil is eternal, and the rituals are its living memory.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

Hindu women smear vermillion on each other on the final day of the Durga Puja festival in Mumbai, India, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

Devotees carry an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga in a boat for immersion in the Buriganga River marking the end of Durga Puja in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Devotees carry an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga for immersion in the Buriganga River marking the end of Durga Puja in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Myanmar Hindu devotees take part in the last day of the 'Durga Puja' festival in Yangon, Myanmar, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)

Myanmar Hindu devotees take part in the last day of the 'Durga Puja' festival in Yangon, Myanmar, Thursday, October. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Thein Zaw)

Devotees carry an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga in a boat for immersion in the Buriganga River marking the end of Durga Puja in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

Devotees carry an idol of Hindu goddess Durga to immerse in river Brahmaputra in Guwahati, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Municipal workers carry an idol of Hindu goddess Durga to immerse in river Brahmaputra in Guwahati, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Devotees carry an idol of Hindu goddess Durga to emmers in river Brahmaputra in Guwahati, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Devotees with color-smeared faces dance on a road during a procession for immersion of an idol of Hindu goddess Durga in Guwahati, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Indian people watch an effigy of demon king Ravana's son Meghnath go up in flames marking the end of Dussehra festival in Jammu, India, Thursday, Oct.2, 2025.(AP Photo/Channi Anand)

People watch a procession during Dussehra festival in Jammu, India, Thursday, Oct.2, 2025.(AP Photo/Channi Anand)

Effigies of demon king Ravana, centre, his son Meghnad and brother Kumbhkarna are set on fire, marking the end of Dussehra festival in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025.(AP Photo/Deepanshu Aggarwal)

An effigy of mythical demon king Ravana goes up in flames marking the end of Dussehra festival in Jammu, India, Thursday, Oct.2, 2025.(AP Photo/Channi Anand)

Artists dressed up as Hindu gods shout religious slogans during Dussehra festivities in Jammu, India, Thursday, Oct.2, 2025.(AP Photo/Channi Anand)

Organizers shelter under umbrellas and plastic sheeting as a sudden rain and thunderstorm causes the effigy of demon king Ravan and others to fall and sustain water damage during the Hindu festival of Dussehra in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Organizers shelter under umbrellas and plastic sheeting as a sudden rain and thunderstorm causes the effigy of demon king Ravan and others to fall and sustain water damage during the Hindu festival of Dussehra in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

A priest worship an idol of goddess Durga on the second day of Hindu festival Durga Puja at a makeshift worsip venue, in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)

Municipal employees carry an idol of Hindu goddess Durga to emmers in river Brahmaputra in Guwahati, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Devotees prepare to immerse an idol of Hindu goddess Durga in a makeshift water pit at the end of Durga Puja festival in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Devotees immerse an idol of Hindu goddess Durga in a makeshift water pit at the end of Durga Puja festival in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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