Why We Celebrate Vijayadashami (Dussehra):
Vijayadashami also known as Dussehra, or Dashain, is a major Hindu festival celebrated every year at the end of Navratri. It is celebrated on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month of Ashwin or Kartik, the sixth and seventh month of the Hindu luni-solar calendar respectively, which usually falls in the Gregorian months of September and October. Lord Rama killed Ravana on this day and Goddess Durga defeated Mahishasura after nine nights and ten days of war.
It is celebrated as the victory of truth over falsehood. That is why this Dashami is known as 'Vijayadashmi'. Dussehra is one of the three most auspicious dates of the year, the other two being the Pratipada of Chaitra Shukla and Kartik Shukla.
Importance of Vijayadashami (Dussehra) in Our Liife:
In Ancient Times, Kings used to pray for victory on this day and go for battle. Because this day is considered a symbol of victory, fairs are held everywhere on this day. Ramlila is organized. A huge effigy of Ravana is made and burnt. Dussehra or Vijayadashami is celebrated as the victory of Lord Rama or as Durga Puja, in both the forms it is a festival of power worship, the date of weapon worship. It is a festival of joy and gaiety and victory.
Indian culture is a worshiper of bravery, a worshiper of bravery. The festival of Dussehra has been kept so that valor is manifested in the blood of the individual and the society. The festival of Dussehra gives the inspiration to renounce ten types of sins – lust, anger, greed, delusion, matsar, ego, laziness, violence and theft.
The Story of Vijayadashami and Dussehra:
According to Ramcharitmanas, Sita was abducted by Ravana. Lord Rama requested Ravana to release Sita, but Ravana refused due to which the situation took the form of a huge war. After doing severe penance for ten thousand years, Ravana got a boon from Lord Brahma that Ravana could not be killed by gods, demons or spirits. He is portrayed as a mighty demon king who disturbs the penance of the sages. Lord Vishnu incarnated as the human Rama to defeat and kill him, being under the boon of Lord Vishnu.
A deadly and fierce battle took place between Rama and Ravana in which Rama killed Ravana and ended his evil rule. Ravana had ten heads. The killing of a ten-headed person is called Dussehra. Due to the victory of Rama over Ravana, religion was again established on earth. Thus, we celebrate this festival, remembering the victory of evil over evil.
Vijayadashami or Dussehra 2023
- Tuesday, 24 October 2023
- Dashami Tithi Begins: 23 October 2023 at 05:44 PM
- Dashami Date Ends: 24 Oct 2023 at 03:14 PM
- Shravan Nakshatra Begins: 22 Oct 2023 at 06:43 PM
- Shravan Nakshatra ends: 23 October 2023 at 05:14 PM
- Vijay Muhurta: 01:58 PM to 02:43 PM
- Bengal Vijayadashami Puja Timings: 01:13 PM to 03:28 PM
How to Celebrate Vijayadashami and Dussehra in India's States?
Dussehra is the festival of victory of good over evil with joy and gaiety. It is celebrated in different forms in every nook and corner of the country, but it is also celebrated with equal enthusiasm and gaiety in other countries where Indians live as expatriates.
Dussehra Celebrate in Himachal Pradesh:
Kullu's Dussehra is very famous in Himachal Pradesh. Like other places, the preparations for this festival start ten days and a week before. Men and women, all dressed in beautiful and new clothes, go out with trumpets, bugles, drums, drums, flutes, etc. The hill people worship their village deity by taking out a procession with great pomp. The idols of the deities are beautifully decorated in very attractive palanquins. Along with this they also worship their main deity Raghunath ji.
Trained dancers perform nati dance in this procession. In this way, by making a procession, they circumambulate the city through the main parts of the city and start the celebration of Dussehra in Kullu city with the worship of the deity Raghunathji.
Dussehra Celebrate in Punjab State:
In Punjab, Dussehra is celebrated by fasting for nine days of Navratri. During this, visitors are welcomed with traditional sweets and gifts. Here also Ravan-Dahan events are organized, and fairs are held in the grounds.
Dussehra Celebrate in Chhattisgarh State:
People consider Dussehra as a festival dedicated to the worship of Mother Danteshwari in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh state in central India. Danteshwari Mata is the adorable goddess of the residents of Bastar region, who is a form of Durga. Here this festival lasts for 75 days. Here Dussehra runs from the new moon of Shravan month to Shukla Trayodashi of Ashwin month. On the first day, permission is taken from the goddess to start the ceremony. The goddess is seated on a set of thorns, which is called Kachin Gadi. This ceremony in Bastar started from about the 15th century.
Dussehra is Celebrate in Bengal, Odisha, and Assam in a different way:
In Bengal, Odisha and Assam, this festival is celebrated as Durga Puja. Along with this, this festival is the most important festival of Bengalis, Odia, and people of Assam. This festival is celebrated for five days in Bengal. In Odisha and Assam, the festival lasts for 4 days.
Here every year on the occasion of Dussehra, Goddess Durga is enshrined in grandly decorated pandals. Along with which the idol of Durga is prepared every year. Like other places, fairs are organized here at many places on this day. Here on the day of Shashthi, the worship of Durga Devi, invocation and Prana Pratishtha etc. is organized. After which the days of Saptami, Ashtami and Navami are spent in worship of Durga in the morning and evening.
Mahapuja is performed on the day of Ashtami. Special puja is organized on the day of Dashami. The men hug each other, which is called kolakuli. Women offer vermilion on the forehead of the goddess, and bid farewell to the goddess with tears. Along with this, they also apply vermilion among themselves, and play with vermilion. It is considered very auspicious to see the Neelkanth bird here on this day. After which the deity idols are taken for immersion. This immersion journey is also very beautiful and scenic.
Dussehra Celebrate in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka States:
In Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, Dussehra lasts for nine days in which three goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati and Durga are worshipped. For the first three days, Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, is worshipped. On the next three days, Saraswati, the goddess of art and learning, is worshipped and on the last day, Goddess Durga, the goddess of power, is worshipped. The place of worship is well decorated with flowers and lamps. People give each other sweets and clothes. Here Dussehra is inspirational for children to learn new work related to education or art.
Dussehra Celebrate in Karnataka in a Unique way:
The Dussehra of Mysore located in Karnataka is also famous all over India. At the time of Dussehra in Mysore, the streets of the entire city are decorated with lights and a grand foot march is taken out across the city by adorning the elephants. At this time the famous Mysore palace is decorated with lamp like a bride. Along with this, people in the city enjoy the procession of dance and music with torch lights. Ravana-dahan is not organized in these Dravidian regions.
Dussehra Celebrate in Gujarat State:
In the Indian state of Gujarat, colored clay pots are considered a symbol of the goddess and are held by unmarried girls on their heads to perform a popular dance called Garba. Garba dance is the pride of this festival. Men and women dance around by playing two small colored sticks together to the beat of the music. On this occasion, devotion, film and traditional folk music all take place. After the puja and aarti, Dandiya Raas is organized throughout the night. The purchase of gold and jewelry is considered auspicious during Navratri.
Dussehra Celebrate in Maharashtra State:
In Maharashtra, nine days of Navratri are dedicated to Goddess Durga, while on the tenth day (The day of Dussehra), Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, is worshipped. On this day school going children worship the tantric symbols of Maa Saraswati to get blessings in their studies. This day is considered very auspicious to start anything, especially to start learning. The people of Maharashtra consider this day as an auspicious time for marriage, home entry and buying a new house.