Dussehra

Dussehra is a popular festival celebrated by the Hindu community all over India, with different names and styles of celebrations. In some parts of the country Dussehra is also called Vijayadashmi - Vijay meaning victory and Dashmi meaning the tenth day. It was on this day that Lord Rama defeated and killed the demon king Ravana of Lanka and rescued his abducted wife Sita from Ravana’s clutches. In other words, Dussehra is a festival that marks the triumph of good over evil..

Celebration in North India
Particularly in North India Dussehra is celebrated by re enacting this huge tussle between Lord Rama and Ravana. The stage is set and huge effigies of Ravana, brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghnath are erected in vast open grounds. Fireworks and crackers are too placed inside the effigies. Actors dressed as Rama, his wife Sita and brother Lakshman enact the battle scene in front of a large audience. After the scene is enacted the character playing Rama shoots an arrow at the three effigies and the crackers catch fire. This marks the victory of good over evil.
Celebrations in Bengal

Bengalis celebrate Dusshera as the last part of Durga Puja. This is the last day of Durga puja. This day is dedicated to Mother Goddess Shakti. It was Goddess Durga who is a combination of divine energies of Lord Brahma (creator), Vishnu (operator) and Mahesh (destroyer) and all the other lords. This Goddess arrived when demon Mahishasur gained strength and began troubling Gods and men alike. It was this Shakti maa who freed Gods from the demon’s ugly clutches.

On Dusshera, the idols of Goddess Durga are immersed into a water body, after nine days of continuous revelry and celebration. It is said that the people of Bengal consider Goddess Durga as their daughter and like every daughter she pays a visit to her home every year on the last four days of Navratri. She is also said to bring her sons Ganesha and Kartikeya and daughters Lakshmi and Saraswati along. Durga is known to finally leave for her husband's place on Dusshera day. Goddess Durga is received with the same enthusiasm in Orissa and Assam as well. Huge fares and community programmes are held in Her honour.

Celebration in South India
In the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Dusshera is celebrated in a special way. This day is considered auspicious for starting education in any art form like dance, music or fine arts. Saraswati puja is also done on this day. In Karnataka, especially Mysore and Andhra Pradesh, Dusshera is celebrated with huge fanfare. Huge celebratory processions are staged in these states.
Thus Dusshera is one of the major festivals celebrated by people across the country.

Author: Ms Coutinho.

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