Rajasthan: Kota Adventure Festival

Kota, on the bank of the Chambal river plays host to an annual adventure festival every Dussehra. In 2016, the festival will be held from Oct 11-28. Some of the key events are parasailing, rafting, wind surfing, water skiing and kayaking. Apart from these activities, visitors can also go rock climbing, gliding, trekking, angling and rural excursions. Kota is well known for its Dussehra festival, especially for the Ramlila finale, when almost 75 feet tall, cracker-stuffed effigies of 10-headed Ravana along with his brother Kumbhkarana and his son Meghnadh are set to fire. One can also pay a day visit to Bundi to see the centuries-old Rajasthani miniature paintings preserved in the Chitrashala in the fort. Bundi is nearly 40km by road from Kota. For more information, look up Rajasthan Tourism (tourism.rajasthan.gov.in).