Read about the ninth day of Navrathri

Dussehra (October 11, 2016)

Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of Shukla Paksh in the month of Ashwin. It is also called Vijayadashmi as it is believed that it was on this day that Lord Rama killed the demon-king, Ravana and rescued his abducted wife – Sita. It signifies the triumph of good over evil. The legendary triumph is re-enacted till date. In northern India, effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnath are placed in vast open grounds. Fireworks and crackers are placed inside the effigies.

People enact the play on the Ramlila ground. After the climax, Rama shoots an arrow with a flaming tip at the effigies from a safe distance and the crowd bursts up in cheer, as the crackers catch fire.

Bengalis celebrate Dusshera as a part of their main festival – Durga Puja. This day marks the end of Durga Pooja celebrations, the preceding nine days being collectively referred to as ‘Navratri’. Vijayadashmi is dedicated to Mother Goddess Shakti, who incarnated in the form of Goddess Durga, a combined manifestation of the divine energies of the Holy Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and all the other devatas, when they summoned her to kill the mighty demon known as Mahishasura and freed the world from his terror.

On the day of Vijayadashmi Goddess Durga’s idols are immersed in water. People of West Bengal adopted Durga as their daughter and she visits the home of her parents every year in the last four days of Navratri, along with her sons Ganesha and Kartikeya, and daughters Lakshmi and Saraswati. She finally leaves for her husband’s place on Vijayadashmi. Similar customs are seen in Orissa and Assam. In the North-eastern state of Tripura, huge fairs are conducted and effigies of Ravana, Meghnath and Kumbhkarna are burnts at Ramlila maidans.

In Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Vijayadashmi holds special significance. The day is considered auspicious for starting education or any new art. Saraswati Puja is conducted on the day, when the formal commencement of education of small kids takes place. It is called ‘Vidya aarambham’ (the beginning of Vidya, meaning education). In Karnataka (especially Mysore) and Andhra Pradesh, Dusshera is celebrated with fanfare. Huge processions can be witnessed in both the States.

Legends about Dussehra

Dussehra celebrates the Hindu god Rama’s victory over the demon king Ravana and the triumph of good over evil. The epic Ramayana tells the story of the Lord Rama who wins the lovely Sita for his wife, only to have her carried off by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Legend goes that Ravana had a sister known as Shoorpanakha. She fell in love with the brothers Rama and Lakshamana and wanted to marry one of them. Lakshamana refused to marry her and Rama could not as he was already married to Sita. Shoorpanakha threatened to kill Sita in order to marry Rama. This angered Lakshamana, who cut off Shoorpanakha’s nose and ears. Ravana then kidnapped Sita to avenge his sister’s injuries. Rama and Lakshamana later fought a battle to rescue Sita. The monkey god Hanuman and a huge army of monkeys helped them. This epic is commemorated during Dussehra.