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One of the big festivals celebrated mostly in the northern part of India is Dussehra. The festival is celebrated with high zest and festivities as it also marks the beginning of the winter season after the long unbearable hot summer. Dussehra means the Tenth Day, being the 10th day of the bright half of Ashwin. This day is also known as Vijayadashmi.
On the day of Dussehra, Ram, killed the great demon Ravan, who had abducted Ram's wife Sita to his kingdom of Lanka.
Ram, along with his brother Lakshman and devoted follower Hanuman, and an army of monkeys fought a great battle to rescue his lovely wife Sita. The war against Ravan lasted for ten days. Sita had been returned to her husband Ram and they now make their way to Ayodhya in triumph and glory. |
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Dussera is the tenth day after Navratri. It marks the end of the nine days of Navratri. Vijayadashami as Dussehra is also known celebrates the homecoming of Lord Rama the hero of the epic Ramayana, after he rescued his wife Sita from Ravana, the king of Lanka.
Dussehra is the day, when Rama killed Ravana and won back his wife hence also called Vijayadashmi who had managed to save her honor from the dirty hands of Ravana and was waiting anxiously to meet her husband. Dussehra is also reminiscent of the end of the exile and banishment of the Pandava princes in the epic Mahabharata and their return with their weapons to reclaim their kingdom.
Vijayadashami is also celebrated as the day of victory to rejoice about Durga's triumph over the demons led by Mahishasura. It is essentially a festival in honor of Durga. The Divine Mother fought with him for nine nights, and killed him on the evening of the tenth day, known as the Vijaya Dasami.Vijayadashami is also the day of the Saraswati or the deity of knowledge and learning. Songs are sung in praise of Rama and people in thousands witness this traditional theatre with its exaggerated costumes, jewelry, makeup and drama. Effigies of Ravana are set ablaze, signifying the victory of good over evil. In modern times it calls for efforts to destroy the demon of our ego, and radiate peace and love wherever we go.
Signifies the victory of good over evil. On this day you pray to Mother Durga to destroy all your impurities, your vices, your defects. She is to fight with and annihilate the baser animal qualities in the spiritual aspirant, the lower, diabolical nature in you. Once you have accomplished your task on the negative side, that of breaking down the impure propensities and old vicious habits, the next step is to build up a sublime spiritual personality, to acquire positive qualities in place of the eliminated demoniacal qualities. |
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