10 Reasons Why Diwali is Celebrated

Dussehra symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. The word 'Dussehra' is derived from the words 'dus' and 'hara', where 'dus' means ten and 'hara' means annihilated. On this day, Lord Rama slew the demon king of Lanka, Ravana, after a fierce battle. This festival is celebrated on the 10th day of Shardiya Navratri. If you want to know the date of Dussehra this year, check it out. History of Dussehra The history of Dussehra goes back to the Ramayana. It describes the story of Lord Rama, who defeated the demon king, Ravana, in Traeayuga. The king of Lanka, Ravana, had abducted Sita, Lord Rama’s wife, leading to a battle with Lord Rama. Rama, accompanied by his younger brother Lakshmana, disciple Hanuman, and an army of monkeys, travelled to Lanka to bring back Sita. He worshipped Durga and emerged victorious eventually, marking the day as Vijayadashami or Dussehra. The Significance of Dussehra in Indian Culture Dussehra personifies India's rich cultural tapestry and traditions. This signifies the triumph of good over evil and teaches us that righteousness always prevails.  The Dussehra celebration unites communities across India. The statues of Ravana, Meghnad, and Kumbhakarna are set on fire. This day also marks Goddess Durga's win over the mighty buffalo demon Mahishasura, underpinning the might of feminine power. People celebrate this occasion with fervor, forgetting all the regional and cultural differences.  Why is Dussehra Celebrated? It is celebrated differently in different parts of the nation. So, going forward, we will delve into how the festival is celebrated in the different regions of India: North India In northern India, Dussehra signifies the spirit of “Good always prevails.” The depiction of Rama's life in Ram Leela starts ten days before Dussehra. Numerous theatre groups in villages, cities, and suburbs of North India perform this. Among these celebrations, it's a tradition for many to give gifts on Dussehra to honour the occasion. South India In Tamil Nadu, Dussehra celebrations start nine days before Dussehra. These nine days are devoted to the worship of the 3 main deities of Hinduism. Goddess Lakshmi is adored in the first 3 days, as she is the provider of wealth and prosperity, while Saraswati is prayed for the subsequent 3 days, called the deity of knowledge and art. The last 3 days are dedicated to Goddess Shakti, the goddess of valour. In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, miniature statues and beautiful dolls are set up in artificial stages in homes, usually known as 'Bommai Kolu'. Eastern India In the Eastern part of the country, Dussehra is celebrated as Durga's victory over the demon Mahishasura. It is supposed that after a fierce battle of nine days, the goddess subdued Mahishasura and slayed her, so this day is famously known as Vijayadashami. Idols of Durga are immersed in waterbodies with great reverence. In Orissa, the festival is called Vijoja Dashami. This day is marked as the conclusion of Sharadiya Durga Puja. West India In Maharashtra, Dussehra is related to numerous legends besides Rama. On Dussehra, the flour tree is adored, and its leaves are gifted to the dear ones, with Dussehra's gifts and sweets being considered a good omen. After completing 12 years of exile, Pandavas recovered their weapons from under a Shami tree, where they had stored them. The nine days before Dussehra are famous here as Navratri. The idols of the Goddess installed on the initial day of Navratri are engrossed in water on Dussehra. Therefore, Dussehra has different kinds of importance in several regions of India. Here are the places you can visit to be a part of the famous Dussehra celebrations,

Navratri and Durga Puja are two of the longest-celebrated Hindu festivals. While both have different cultural and regional variations, they both have a theme of the victory of good over evil and the worship of Goddess Shakti. Navratri is dedicated to the worship of Durga in her various forms. It spans nine nights and is divided into three sets of three days each, throughout which different facets of the goddess are worshipped. History of Navratri and Durga Puja Several myths and legends are associated with celebrating this Navratri Festival. According to a legend, Mahishasura, the demon, worshipped Shiva and obtained the boon of eternity. So, he started harassing people and set out to win seven Lokas. Intimated by his power, all the Devas requested Shiva to tame the demon. Then Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva united their powers and created Goddess Durga. Mahishasura was mesmerized by her beauty and approached her for marriage.  Goddess Durga said that the demon Mahishasura should win over her in a duel. The duel continued for 9 nights, and at the end of the 9th night, Goddess Durga killed the demon. So, the nine nights are called Navratri. The tenth day is celebrated as Vijayadashmi or Dusshera. Another legend states that King Daksha had a beautiful daughter, Uma, who wanted to marry Lord Shiva. So, she worshipped Shiva and pleased him. Shiva married her. Once, she visited her parents in a Yagna. Here, Daksha insulted Shiva, and Uma jumped into the agnikund. Hereafter, she was known as Sati. Sati was reborn, and peace was restored between her and her parents. Then, she married Shiva again. It is believed that the goddess came to stay with her parents for nine days. if you want to know about the dates of the Navratri or Durga Puja, know it here In ancient times, Kshatriyas barred themselves from participating in any war during the monsoon. After the monsoons passed, they started afresh with wars. So, before their war journey, these Kshatriyas worshipped different forms of Devi for nine days, which is celebrated as Navratri. Another legend states that Lord Rama, who wanted to release Sita from Ravana's clutches, prayed to Goddess Durga for nine nights to gather the strength to kill Ravana. Those nine nights were known as Navratri. On the tenth day, Ravana was killed, and that day is called Vijayadashmi or Dusshera. Navratri and the 9 Goddesses During Navaratri, Goddess Durga is worshipped in nine forms. All the forms signify strength, power, bravery, beauty, grace, knowledge, and auspiciousness. These forms of Durga are worshipped for nine days.