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 One of the
big festivals celebrated in most parts of India is
Dussehra. The festival is celebrated with zest and
festivities as it also marks the beginning of the winter
season after the long, unbearable, hot summer. Dussehra
marks the victory of Ram over the demon king Ravana, and
the rescue of his wife Sita. In north India, gigantic
effigies of the ten-headed Ravana and his brothers are set
aflame amidst bursting of crackers. Fairs are usually held
on this occasion with lots to eat, buy and enjoy.
Dussehra means the Tenth Day, being the 10th day of the
bright half of Ashwin. This day is also known as
Vijayadashmi, or the Victory Tenth, because of the victory
of Ram over Ravana.
As Dussehra is preceded by the Navratri or the nine days
of the worship of Goddess Durga, some rituals related to
the Goddess are also carried out that day. The rituals of
Durga Puja involve the usual puja of goddess Durga along
with Lord Ram. On this day in Satyug, Ram (the eighth
incarnation of Lord Vishnu), killed the great demon and
king of Lanka, Ravan, who had abducted Ram's wife Sita.
Ram, along, with his brother Lakshman, follower Hanuman,
and an army of monkeys fought a great battle for ten days
to rescue his wife Sita.
According to
another story, Kautsa, the young son of Devdatt, a
Brahmin, was living in the city of Paithan. After studying
under the guidance of Rishi Varatantu, he insisted on his
guru accepting a present, or gurudakshina. Initially the
guru refused but later asked for 140 million gold coins,
one hundred million for each of the subjects taught. The
obedient student went to the King Raghu to ask for the
money, as the king was renowned for his generosity. Within
three days the king made the God of Wealth Kuber make a
rain of gold coins near the shanu and apati trees. After
giving the promised amount to the guru, Kautsa distributed
the rest of the coins among the needy on the day of
Dussehra. Even today, in Ayodhya, the capital of King
Raghu, people loot the leaves of the Apati trees and
present to each other as sona or gold.
Dussehra is one of the significant Hindu
festivals, celebrated with much joy and happiness in the
entire country. The occasion marks the triumph of Lord Ram
over Ravana, the victory of good over evil. Brilliantly
decorated tableaux and processions depicting various
episodes from Ram's life are taken out. On the tenth day,
or the Vijayadasami, colossal effigies of Ravana, his
brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghnad are placed in vast open
spaces. Actors dressed as Ram, his consort Sita, and
brother Lakshman arrive and shoot arrows of fire at these
effigies, which are stuffed with firecrackers. The result
is a deafening blast, and an explosion of sound and light
enhanced by the shouts of merriment and triumph of the
spectators.
Also part of the celebration is the Ram Lila or the
dramatic depiction of episodes from the lives of Ram, Sita,
and Lakshman. All the regions across the country have
evolved their own distinctive style, and performances at
different places are done in the local language.
This was also the day to worship the weapons. According to
legend, Arjuna, one of the Pandav princes, hid his weapons
in a Shami tree when the Pandavs were banished into the
forests. After one year he returned from the forest and on
the day of Dussehra, he retrieved his weapons and
worshipped them along with the Shami tree. Hence the
custom of worshipping weapons on this day started.
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