This year, we will be celebrating Dussehra on October 5. It is one of the most celebrated festivals in Northern and Western India. However, in Karnataka and West Bengal, Dussehra is popularly known as Vijayadashmi.
In many parts of India, people enact the epic tale of Ramayana in which Lord Ram killed Ravan a year after he abducted Goddess Sita. Communities create giant effigies of Ravana that people then build on fire as a symbolic gesture, wish each other, and enjoy the win of good over evil.
Dussehra falls on the 10th day of Navratri, which marks the end of Durga Puja. It is remembered as the day when the Goddess killed the buffalo demon Mahishasura to restore dharma in society.
Vijayadashami is made of two words - Vijaya and dashami. Vijaya refers to victory, and Dashami means 10th. Legend goes that Goddess Durga emerged victorious over a demon after fighting him for nine days.
According to legends, Mahishasura received a boon from Lord Brahma. He used to worship Lord Brahma to garner his attention. When Lord Brahma was impressed with his devotion, Mahishasura asked him that there should not be any man in the world who could kill him as he did not believe that any woman would be powerful enough to kill him. After receiving the boon, he thought he was invincible and started destroying the world. Gods, unable to stop him, sought the help of Goddess Durga.
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Legends also say that Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva, and Lord Vishnu combined their powers to create Goddess Durga, who could end the havoc created by Mahishasura. The battle between good and evil lasted for 10 days, and at last, the Goddess destroyed the demon.
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In the 14th century, the day was celebrated as Mahanavami during the reign of the Vijayanagara Empire. An Italian traveller noted that festivities included singing and dancing, fireworks, competitions, charitable giving and a military parade. Mysore had been the hub for the Dasara-Vijayadashami celebrations.
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In Karnataka, this day is known as Dasara. It is a 10-day festival celebrated by people who worship Goddess Durga in her 10 avatars. Apart from Mysore, Bengaluru and Shimoga, also organise festivities on a large scale.
In some parts of Southern India, this day is also dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. She is worshipped along with her instrument. People often clean books, musical instruments, work tools, etc. and ask the Goddess to bless them with knowledge.
In India, many festivals have different fascinating tales, however, communities from all over the country come together to celebrate festivals with full fervour.
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