A very popular Hindu festival is Dussehra. Its history goes back to the times of Lord Rama when he killed Ravana to get back his wife, Sita. So the evil was defeated by good. This “Vijay” (victory) is celebrated on Dashmi “tenth day”, so thus the festival is termed as “Vijaydashmi”. The whole India celebrates this event, but it’s mostly concentrated in the Northern parts of the country.
The legend of the actual fight between Lord Krishna and Ravana is dramatized with enactments of Rama, his brother Lakshmana, Sita, Ravana, his brother Kumbhkarna, and son Meghnath. The plays consist of the climax of the famous battle. The climax takes a further turn with the shooting of the effigy of Ravana by a fireball. This brings a huge excitement and applause from the crowd, and the climax turns into a full blown celebration. This commemorates once again, the defeat of evil against good.
Dusshera also turns out to be a part of Durga Puja event, in Bengal. It’s like a culmination of celebration, marking the last day of Durga Puja. So the first nine day of Durga Puja are called “navratri” and the tenth becomes Dusshera. Dussehra is also dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Shakti, who reincarnated herself into the form of Durga, who was also a Goddess.
The rituals associated with the occasion is the nine days of celebration followed by immersion of idol of Goddess Durga in water at the end. The legend says that West Bengalis consider Durga as their daughter, and according to the belief she visits their home Durga as their daughter.
In the south, Vijaydashmi is a celebration too. It’s a sacred day to begin any new work or ritual, may it be education, career or any other field. Southerners observed Saraswati Puja on this very day where it’s considered an auspicious day to begin schooling for children.
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