Welcome to the festive season of
Dussehra which falls on the tenth day celebration of Navratri. It is also known
as ‘Vijayadashami’ (Vijay Dashami) which means Victory on Tenth day. One of the
most significant Hindu festivals observed across India and by Indian community
living around the world. Nine days fasting period of Navratri for Goddess Durga
Puja also coincides with idol immersion happens on the Dussehra. It is believed
that Lord Rama rescued his Princess Sita, after killing the powerful evil King
Ravana. So in India the Dussehra festival symbolizes the victory of good over
evil.
There two major significance of the
Dussehra from the Hindu mythological story. First story states, the Victory of
the Lord Rama over the evil Ravana according to the epic Ramayana. On this occasion,
Ramleela drama is arranged in various parts of India with huge effigies of
Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnath are fired with crackers are placed in vast open
grounds. The person playing Rama shoots an arrow to effigies full with crackers,
after fire blasts the crowd and children enjoy with cheer. So you can see
family members with full of joy to celebrate the victory with distribution of
sweets.
Another mythology story tells the
Goddess Durga’s victory after she killed demon Mahishasura to save the earth
from the evil. It also celebrated as Durga Puja in the eastern parts of India
like West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Manipur and Tripura with
full of joy. Famous ‘Durga Puja Pandals’ stages are created in Kolkata,
Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Patna and Ranchi in the Eastern India. Durga
Puja is widely celebrated in states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir and South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Karnataka,
Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Saraswati Puja is formally celebrated for education of
small kids in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
In time of Dussehra a special festival ‘Golu’
celebrated by Hindus in the Southern states Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana
and Tamil Nadu. They decorate their houses and steps with lamps and flowers in
the evenings. Dussehra Mysore city of Karnataka is most famous in India which
attracts lot of pilgrim tourists from world to see the royal style celebration.
Durga Puja is best known in the Kolkata city in India. It also celebrated
largely in the neighboring countries of Nepal, Bangladesh with full cheers by
the Indian Hindu community living there.