India, Sept. 17 -- The country is getting ready to witness the allure of the festive season, in colours, devotion, dance, and delicious food. Each state has its own flair, from the ginormous garba and dandiya nights of Gujarat, the grandeur of Durga Puja in West Bengal, or the artistic pandals in Delhi. Travel creators tell us some places in India that are a must-visit during the festivities with Navratri starting on September 22 and Durga Puja beginning on September 28. Gujarati Navratri Gujarat is extremely lit during Navratri celebrations with their dandiya and garba nights. "If you wish to experience this festival in its most raw and energetic form, then you must be here. You will see hundreds of people dressed in the state;s traditional clothes and matching dupattas. There is a synchronised dancing and everyone knows each step to the beats and music. It is a whole another experience to witness," says travel creator Sachin Parmar. Where to go: Neel's City Club in Rajkot; Raatladi The Mandli Garba, Vibe With The Night and Suvarn Navratri in Ahmedabad Food to try: The food is also exceptional with the must try dishes including Rajgira paratha, makhane ki Kheer, shakkariya (sweet potato) dishes, kachalu (colocassia), sabudana vada, and singara (water chestnut) dishes as fast-friendly options are available everywhere. Delhi's grandeur Talking about the festivals, and we don't mention the Capital, that's highly unlikely. Delhi comes alive during the Navratri and Durga Puja festivities, with people from all communities coming together to witness the grand celebrations. "Durga Puja pandals are found in every corner of Chittaranjan Park where the women from different families come forward to dance together. The city also plays host to multiple garba nights where the young and the old both dance their hearts out. You can hop from a Gujarati-style garba night to a Bengali Durga Puja pandal, all in the same evening. It's truly like tasting mini-India in one city," says travel creator Naina Uttam. Where to go: Dilli Haat (INA) for traditional garba and folk music, Delhi Gujarati Samaj (Civil Lines) for authentic Gujarati-style garba, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for large-scale dandiya events, Dwarka Sector 10 for its lively crowd, grand decor, and music and lanes of Chittaranjan Park for elaborate pandals. Shop for festive essentials at Janpath's Gujratri Market for handicrafts and ethnic wear. Food to try: Fast-friendly options like kuttu ki puri, sabudana khichdi, bhel puri, singhara pakoras and sattvik thalis. For Durga Puja, phuchka (Bengali-style pani puri), luchi (a deep-fried, soft bread served with curries), mutton kosha and other fish dishes such as ilish machh bhapa and chingri malai curry. West Bengal's Durga Puja Do not miss the grandeur of Durga Puja in the capital city of Kolkata, where it is said that people sometimes don't even go home during the celebrations. "Kolkata's Durga Puja is considered 'mad' in terms of crowd, food, decor, music and celebrations. The festival is absolutely traditionally rich in culture, and every corner has a pandal for you to see which are so creative that each one tells a story, from mythology to modern-day themes. The streets are lit till dawn, and it's perfectly normal to find people pandal-hopping at 3 am with the same energy they had at sunset. And on the last day, you'll find married women indulging in the Sindur Khela ritual where they smear sindoor on each other's foreheads and cheeks. It is a divine experience," creator Prity Darjee tells us. Where to go: Baghbazar in North Kolkata for a traditional and historically rich experience, Santosh Mitra Square, Ballygunge Cultural Association, Hatibagan for its bustling market, and Shobhabazar Rajbari for a historic and opulent celebration Food to try: Fish and mutton chops, egg rolls, cutlets, mughlai paratha, khichuri and labra, daab chingri, bhetki paturi and chholar dal. Maharashtra's glory Soon after the Ganeshotsav, the state witnesses a vibrant time during the nine days of Navratri. "The festivities are amplified by the diversity of communities in cities like Mumbai, Thane and Kalyan, which host large-scale, culturally rich celebrations. The energy is high all nights of the festivals and people don't stop to take breaks sometimes. You will find women, men and children all playing garba in huge groups and their steps are always in sync," say creator duo Shivani Manchekar and Yash Mathadhikari. Where to go: For dandiya and garba nights, you can go to Radiance Dandia with Falguni Pathak, Jio World Convention Centre (Mumbai), Rangeelo Navratra (Kalyan), Namo Ramo Navratri (Dombivili), Dome Dandiya Nites (Mumbai), Royal Raas Navratri (Mumbai), Raas Rang (Thane). Food to try: Sabudana thalipeeth, sabudana khichdi, farali misal, upwas thali with potato sabzi, pav bhaji remains an all time favourite and sweet treats like rajgira laddoo and shrikhand. Karnataka's royal hues Known as the cultural capital of Karnataka, Mysuru turns into a royal spectacle during Navratri, celebrated as Mysuru Dasara. The 400-year-old tradition, patronised by the Wodeyar dynasty, makes the city glow."If Gujarat is about dance, Mysuru is about heritage. The Mysore Palace is extremely lit during the 10 days and you can witness a huge mela that lasts for thewholeNavaratri. Along with that, you can always spot some decorated elephants around the city and on the last day, the main highlight is Jambu Savari procession featuring the Goddess Chamundeshwari's idol on an elephant, accompanied by other decorated elephants, horses, musicians, and dancers," says travel blogger Deepanshu Saini. Where to go: Mysore Palace for the grand illumination and cultural programmes, Chamundi Hill for temple rituals, Jaganmohan Palace for exhibitions and art displays, and the streets of Mysuru on Vijayadashami to witness the legendary Jamboo Savari procession. Food to try: Mysore pak (the iconic sweet), bisi bele bath (spiced rice and lentil dish), ragi mudde with sambar, maddur vada, puliyogare (tamarind rice), and kosambari (lentil salad)....