Dussehra or Vijayadashami is a vital Hindu festival which signifies the victory of excellent over evil. This annual festival is well known with great enthusiasm and keenness by Hindus around the globe around the tenth day’s the Navratras, which falls around the tenth day’s Ashwin or Kartik several weeks as reported by the Hindu calendar. This season Dussehra is going to be celebrated on October 15, 2021 Background and Importance
While Dussehra is known as by different names across India– Durga Puja or Vijayadashami within the East and North-east, Dussehra in Northern and Western states– the essence from the festival continues to be the same i.e. the Dharma (good) prevailing over Adharma (evil). Durga Puja or Vijayadashmi celebrates Maa Durga’s victory over demon Mahishasura to safeguard darma. Whereas, the storyline behind Dussehra signifies Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana. Your day also marks the finish of Ram lila– a short retelling of Rama, Sita and Laxman story. On Dussehra, towering effigies of demon King Ravana, Kumbhakaran and Meghanad (synonymous with evil) are burnt lower with fireworks thus reminding onlookers it does not matter what, Good always wins over Evil.
It had been on the day that that Arjuna annihilated the Kuru clan, including great players like Bhisma, Drona, Karna, Ashwathama, by himself within the fight of Kurushetra within the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
Rituals, details and all that you should learn about Dussehra
As pointed out earlier, Dussehra or Vijayadashami has various tales behind it so the festival is well known diversely across India. For example, in many states in North or Western India, Dussehra is well known in honor of Lord Rama. Ram lilas, that are re-enactment of musical plays in line with the Ramcharitramanas are carried out resulting in Dussehra Celebration when large effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakaran and Meghanad are burnt lower.
On the other hand, in lots of places in South India, the festival is well known in honor of Maa Saraswati– Hindu Goddess of understanding and humanities. About this day, people neat and worship their instruments of livelihood and seek Goddess Saraswati’s benefits. In Western India, particularly in Gujarat, people observe fasts and worship the nine avatars of Goddess Durga for that nine times of Navratras resulting in Dussehra or Vijayadashami. Dandiya and Garba are performed over these nine days. Around the tenth day, Maa Durga’s idol is immersed in water signifying her go back to Mount Kailash with Lord Shiva. Meanwhile, in West Bengal Durga Puja results in Vijayadashami, also known as Bijoy Dashomi, in which clay statues of Maa Durga are immersed in water physiques thus putting in a bid a farewell towards the Goddess. Before the immersion, Bengali women enjoy Sindoor Khela in which they apply vermilion (sindoor) on one another and put on red clothing– ths signifying Maa Durga’s victory.
As the festival is famous by different names, its essence continues to be the same– the victory of excellent over evil establishment of Dharma over Adharma. In a spiritual level, Dussehra or Vijayadashmi also signifies the finish of negativity and evil within us (biases, prejudices, stereotypes) and marks a brand new new beginning.