Dussehra is one of the significant festivals celebrated in India. It is also known as Vijayadasami. It is the festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil.
It is observed on the tenth day in Shukla Paksha of Ashwin month according to the lunar calendar. Usually, Dussehra falls in the months of September or October each year. Dussehra 2011 is on October 06, 2011.
Dussehra is the final day of Durga Puja of Navratri (nine days of fasting). On this very day, Durga Visarjan takes place. In Dussehra 2011 as well the effigies of Goddess Durga will be immersed in the river (Durga Visarjan) with much pomp and show.
Dussehra is taken to be a promising time to pray tool used at work. It is done because, according to the legend in the epic Mahabharata, Arjuna (one of the Pandavas) hid his weapons in a tree. He returned after a year on the day of Dussehra and found his weapons safe. He then worshiped the weapons and the tree.
Celebration of Dussehra
Dussehra 2011 will be falling on the 06th of the month October. Dussehra is mainly a north Indian festival. Two places are very popular for the celebrations of Dussehra. These are Delhi and Varanasi which witness great celebrations. In these celebrations, plays and dance performances known as Ramleela, depicting the life of Rama are performed. The last day of these performances is the Dussehra day. These shows are specifically grand in Varanasi. On Dussehra, big effigies of the demon Ravana are burned.
In other parts of India, Dussehra is celebrated in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh, Mysore in Karnataka, and Kota in Rajasthan. In Kullu, goddess deities are taken on colorful chariots with dancing and celebrations.
In West Bengal, Navaratri and Dussehra are celebrated as Durga Puja. Since Dussehra is the last day for Durga Pooja, Goddess is worshipped with maximum dedication.
History of Dussehra
It does not matter how many years old is this festival. Dussehra 2011 will be celebrated with the utmost zeal. It is because this festival of Dussehra is deeply rooted in Hindu culture. Here are the epic stories associated with Dussehra.
Victory of Lord Rama Over evil Ravana
It is observed on the tenth day in Shukla Paksha of Ashwin month according to the lunar calendar. Usually, Dussehra falls in the months of September or October each year. Dussehra 2011 is on October 06, 2011.
Dussehra is the final day of Durga Puja of Navratri (nine days of fasting). On this very day, Durga Visarjan takes place. In Dussehra 2011 as well the effigies of Goddess Durga will be immersed in the river (Durga Visarjan) with much pomp and show.
Dussehra is taken to be a promising time to pray tool used at work. It is done because, according to the legend in the epic Mahabharata, Arjuna (one of the Pandavas) hid his weapons in a tree. He returned after a year on the day of Dussehra and found his weapons safe. He then worshiped the weapons and the tree.
Celebration of Dussehra
Dussehra 2011 will be falling on the 06th of the month October. Dussehra is mainly a north Indian festival. Two places are very popular for the celebrations of Dussehra. These are Delhi and Varanasi which witness great celebrations. In these celebrations, plays and dance performances known as Ramleela, depicting the life of Rama are performed. The last day of these performances is the Dussehra day. These shows are specifically grand in Varanasi. On Dussehra, big effigies of the demon Ravana are burned.
In other parts of India, Dussehra is celebrated in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh, Mysore in Karnataka, and Kota in Rajasthan. In Kullu, goddess deities are taken on colorful chariots with dancing and celebrations.
In West Bengal, Navaratri and Dussehra are celebrated as Durga Puja. Since Dussehra is the last day for Durga Pooja, Goddess is worshipped with maximum dedication.
History of Dussehra
It does not matter how many years old is this festival. Dussehra 2011 will be celebrated with the utmost zeal. It is because this festival of Dussehra is deeply rooted in Hindu culture. Here are the epic stories associated with Dussehra.
Victory of Lord Rama Over evil Ravana
It is the predominant reason for the celebration of Dussehra in Northern India. According to the epic Ramayana, Lord Rama killed the ten-headed demon Ravana on this day who had abducted his wife Sita. Hence, this day celebrates the victory of Rama over Ravana, known as Vijayadasami or Dussehra. On Dussehra 2011 as well, this triumph will be celebrated.
Assassination of Mahishasura by Goddess Durga
According to a mythological story, all the Gods in heaven and the living beings on earth were troubled by the tyranny of the demon Mahishasura, who was invincible by any present God. Hence, all the Gods created a power, which would destroy Mahishasura. All the Gods gave rise to the creation of Goddess Durga. She fought Mahishasura and defeated the demon, successfully, and restored the peace in heaven and earth.� This day is celebrated as Vijayadasami.
Shami Tree
According to the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Pandavas (five sons of Pandu) used to lay aside their divine and powerful weapons during the exile (Vanvaas). They concealed their weapons under the shami tree, located near the place of their dwelling. As each year ends of the exile, Pandavas came to the shami tree to see the safety of their weapons.
Whenever Pandavas approached the tree, they worshipped it and Goddess Durga. At the end of exile, the Pandavas went to the shami tree to get their weapons and went to the battle field to fight the Kauravas, their opponents. Pandavas won the battle on the day of dashmi. On this day, good had achieved victory over the evil thus it came to be known as Vijayadasami.
After this it became a tradition that people hug each other under the shami tree and exchange its leaves. On Dussehra 2011 as well this tradition will be followed to make the future promising.
Significance of Dussehra 2011
Dussehra is one of predominant Hindu festivals. It is one festival which is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm. Dussehra 2011 is bound to be celebrated with the same energy.
Dussehra in 2011 will fall on the October 06. On this day, people from all over the country will take part in the occasion in their own manner.
On Dussehra 2011, huge effigies of demon Raavana will be burnt following a month long Ramleela.
In most of the places in India, the Ramleela will start ten days before Dussehra that is from 28th September 2011 (since Dussehra 2011 is on October 06th), the whole Ramayana is enacted in different regions. It is on the tenth day that the processions take place and people talk about the greatness of Lord Rama and enact the Rama-Ravana war.
In this way, Dussehra 2011 will remind people of the fact that truth always wins and inspires them to go on the path of ‘dharma’.
Dussehra 2011 will be the day to stand for the conquest of good over evil. It is thus considered as an auspicious day. This day is held in high regard by people who believe that whenever evil will try to dominate mankind then God will come to keep humanity safe. Dussehra 2011 will be celebrated with this spirit across the country.
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