When Celebrations are Tenfold – Dussehra
Posted on 18. Sep, 2011 by Billy in Event
So Navrathri is round the corner and you would certainly be getting ready to get involved with all the fun, enjoyment, and celebrations that are related to it. Come the month of September and India is agog with activity and entertaining activities. Indians indulge themselves in lot of festivities and the festive mood is what energizes them to carry on with the day to day activities at other times. Festivals are the way they take a break from their monotonous life and get to meet friends, relatives and enjoy with their near and dear ones. Dussehra is one such festival which the Indians celebrate with a lot of enthusiasm and happiness.
Occurring normally in the Hindu month of Ashvin, that would be around September or October of the Gregorian calendar, this festival signifies the triumph of good over evil. It symbolizes the victory that Lord Rama had over the demon king of Lanka Ravana. It also shows how Goddess Durga triumphed over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus Dussehra on the whole is a celebration of good over evil and has a lot of enthusiasm coupled with energy involved. Celebrations are the name of the festival and the entire country is a great festive mood during this time. Dussehra also brings the end of the hot summer month and welcomes the winter months with great gusto. The seemingly hot months seem to end and the Indians now look forward to getting cozy in the coming winter.
The Navrathri is the nine day festival which is held to propitiate the Goddess Durga who is believed to have fought the demon king during this period. The tenth day or Dussehra is the end of the Navrathri festival. During this time, people organize a lot of fairs to bring about a get together for all. Effigies of Ravana are burnt in North India.
Dussehra is also known as Vijaya Dashami. This is the day when Rama killed the demon king so there is more reason to celebrate . So people worship Rama and also the Goddess Durga , and pray for an auspicious start to life. It is said that worshipping the power Shakti the symbol of strength would bring a lot of prosperity in the house. Thus the Goddess Durga is worshipped.
In North India, there is an enactment of the whole scene between Rama and Ravana in the form of a play called the Ramlila. It is immensely popular amongst the public and the play ends with the huge effigy being burnt amidst a lot of cheer and celebration. Not only Ravana, but also his brother Meghnadh and his brother Kumbhakarna are set on fire.
The burning of the effigies signify the evil being burnt and people then pray to follow the path of good. Thus people pray that they live like Rama, a noble life of deed and conduct and not like Ravana who had to pay for all his bad ways.
In the southern part of India Vijaya Dashami is celebrated by praying to Goddess Saraswati , the God of Education.
Dussehra is a festival where grudges are forgotten and a new beginning awaits.
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