Vijayadashmi

Dussehra

Dussehra, or Vijay Dashmi, is celebrated in September / October, to commemorate the victory of Lord Rama, virtuous Prince of Ayodhya, over ten-headed Ravana, the evil king of Sri Lanka who abducted Rama's wife, Sita, and was subsequently vanquished in battle. Dussehra thus celebrates the victory of Good over Evil.

The nine days preceding Dussehra are known as Navaratri. During this period, the Mother Goddess (“Devi Ma”) is worshipped in all her forms - as Saraswati (consort of Brahma, the creator, and goddess of knowledge), Lakshmi (consort of Vishnu, the preserver, and granter of wealth), and Parvati (consort of Shiva, the destroyer, and the most powerful and complex of all the goddesses). People also worship the tools of their trade.

During the ten days of celebrations, Ramlilas (dance dramas enacting the story of Lord Rama) take place all over North India. On the last (tenth) day, effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkaran, and his son, Meghnath, are packed with firecrackers and burnt at sunset.

In Mysore , Dussehra is a grand occasion. The Mysore palace is illuminated for a month. Caparisoned elephants lead a colourful procession through the streets of the city. A torch light parade and many musical / dance events round off celebrations.

In Gujarat Navaratri is a community affair. Young girls, resplendent in traditional finery, dance away the night doing the traditional Garbha dance or Dandiya Raas .

In Bengal, Dussehra is celebrated as Pujo. Each locality erects a pandal with beautifully decorated idols of Goddess Durga.

In Himachal Pradesh, Dussehra is celebrated with a week-long fair in the hill town of Kullu . Deities are brought, in procession, from the little temples in the hills to Kullu, to pay homage to the reigning deity, Raghunathji.