Why do we Celebrate Dussehra 2023?
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Vijayadashami is a significant example of the victory of good over evil. This festival is also the admiration of the goddess Devi as, Durga or Saraswati.
According to James Lochtefeld, Dussehra is a composite word of dasham and ahar which means ten and days. Vijayadashami is also the composition of Vijaya and Dashami, which indicates victory and tenth.
Stories behind Dussehra
One of the stories people celebrate Dussehra is when Ravana kidnaps Sita. Lord Rama requested Ravana to release Goddess Sita, but he refused. Lord Rama declared war on that movement, but Ravana, as a boon from Lord Brahma, said that gods, demons, or spirits could not kill him. In the war, Rama killed Ravana and ended the evil. Ravana had ten heads, and Rama killed all the ten heads and so-called Dussehra images. Dussehra is the festival of Rama’s victory over Ravana. In the other story of Dussehra, Pandavas spent thirteen years of eviction in Mahabharata. For the last year, before going to Virata, they hung all their weapons in a Shami tree for safekeeping. Bheema kills Kichaka, and Duryodhana, after hearing the death of Kichaka, attacks Virata and seals their cattle to uncover Pandava’s anonymity. Uttar takes Brihannala with him as a charioteer, as suggested by Draupadi. After seeing the Kaurava army, Uttar ran away. Then Arjuna goes to the Shami tree and worships the tree to safeguard the weapons. Arjuna defeats Duryodhana, Bhishma, Drona, Aswathama, Karna, and the Kuru army. Arjuna won the war and attained victory at the festival named Vijayadashami.Dussehra Celebrations in Different Regions
North India
In north India, the festival is in honour of Rama. People there do Ramayana drama dances at outdoor fairs featuring the status of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Meghanada. People burn the group with a bonfire on Dussehra or Vijayadashami.Himachal Pradesh
In Kullu, it is in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh. A large fair is notable and every year witnesses half a million people. Kullu’s unique feature of Dussehra is the arrival of floating deities from nearby regions and their journey to Kullu.South India
The South Indian festival starts with Durga Pooja, lighting up the temples, displaying colourful sculptures, and naming it golu. In Mysore, at Chamundeshwari temple, people host competitions, dances, sing, fireworks shows, and even do military parades and charities given to the public. Goddess Saraswati is also worshipped along with instruments during the festival. People clean and honour their agents and tools working with their livelihood during the Goddess Durga and Saraswati festivals.West India
Lord Rama and Goddess Durga in Gujarat worshipped their victory over evil on Dussehra. People do fasting, pray at temples, and play their regional dance Dandiya Raas with colourfully decorated sticks. People also do the Garba by wearing their traditional dress throughout the night. The Gondi people of this region treat Ravana as their ancestor and one of their gods. They carry the image of Ravana on an elephant by singing praising songs of Ravana. Goa people call it Dasro in Konkani. They worship Goddess Durga on the festival day. The people play Tauranga, and it plays an important role. In Maharashtra, Dasara is the festival. The deity of Durga was installed and worshipped for ten days, Navratri, and immersed in the water on the tenth day.East India
People here celebrate Bijoya Dashomi on the next day of Dasara, mark their faces with sindoor and wear red clothes. Bengalis here sing emotional songs and bid goodbye to the Goddess Durga. Some communities in Varanasi visit the Durga Temple on the eleventh day, called Ekadashi.Top Places to Spend Dussehra Holidays
These are the top places for Dasara celebrations.- Mysore
- Delhi
- Varanasi
- Baraha
- Kullu
What do People do at this festival?
Many people of the Hindu observe Dussehra through special prayer meetings and food offerings to the gods at home or in temples throughout our country. They also hold outdoor fairs (melas) and large parades with effigies of Ravana. The effigies are burnt on bonfires in the evening. Dussehra is the peak of the Navaratri. People say Dussehra wishes. There are many celebrations in some areas of India that can last for up to 10 days. Some events are:- Performances of the Ramlila (Ramayana short version) in Northern India.
- A large festival and march including the Chamundeshwari devi on a throne mounted on elephants in the town of Mysore (Karnataka).
- The blessing of household and work-related tools, such as books, computers, cooking pans and vehicles in Karnataka.
- The preparation of special foods, including luchi (deep-fried flat bread) and alur dom (deep-fried spiced potato snacks), in Bengal.
Festive Attires
- The festival season mostly demands Indian wear and sarees with the bright colours of Dussehra, such as yellow, green and orange.
- You can also choose from available various designer patterns. Lehenga with a touch of gold can be your festival look.
Festival celebration symbols
The Dussehra/Vijaya Dashami festival celebrations include the following:- Bonfires and fireworks (firecrackers)
- Paper and wood effigies of Ravana.
- Red spots (tika) can appear on people’s foreheads.
Gazetted Holiday
It is Gazetted Holiday. Government offices, post offices and bank sectors are closed in India on this festival. Stores and other businesses and companies may be closed or have reduced opening hours.Dussehra Wishes Photos
These are the photos of the Dasara Wishes.
Dussehra Wishes in Hindi
We can say wishes in Hindi also.
Dussehra Wishes FAQs
Who started Dussehra first?
Raja Wodeyar I.
How to celebrate Dussehra at home?
Place an idol of the goddess on a chowki and arrange books around it. Then, light a Diya and incense sticks and offer kumkum, Haldi and flowers to the goddess with your kids at home.
What do people do during Dussehra?
Hindu people’s faith observes Dussehra through special prayer meetings and food offerings to the gods at home or in temples throughout India.
Why did we celebrate Dussehra?
Dussehra, also called Dasara (Vijayadashami in Hinduism), is a holiday marking the triumph of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, over the 10-headed demon king Ravana, who abducted Rama’s wife, Sita.
Which place is famous for Dasara?
This is Mysore’s most popular festival.
When is Dussehra 2023?
Dussehra is on Tuesday, October 24.