Dasara, also called Dussehra or Vijayadashami is one of the biggest Hindu festivals and is celebrated in different parts of India with equal zest. After nine days of Navratri, this festival is celebrated and is followed by Diwali which falls 20 days after Dasara. The significance of this festival are many but the prevailing story is of the triumph of good over evil. The word is derived from Sanskrit and defines victory. So, while people seek Durga’s blessings during the nine days of Navratri, they celebrate her victory on the last day which is Dasara. It is believed that the goddess fought the demon Mahishasura for nine nights and ten days before emerging victorious. Another story describes the destruction of Ravana on Dussehra and hence effigies of him are burnt on this festival. We give you a complete lowdown on how and why Dasara is celebrated in different parts of India.
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When in Dasara celebrated?
Dasara or Dussehra is celebrated in the tenth day of the Hindu calendar month of Ashwin which is usually in September or October according to the Gregorian calendar. In 2016, Dasara falls on October 11.
Why is Dasara celebrated?
There are several mythological stories that signify the celebration of Dasara. Different regions in the country follow one of these and celebrate accordingly. Here are a few stories that explain why Dasara is celebrated on such a large scale.
According to one legend, the story begins during Navratri and ends with Dasara. It is believed that there was a time when demons become powerful and created a havoc on earth. The gods could not do much to control their wrath. Mahishasura in particular was the most powerful demon. In a bid to kill him, the gods got together and combined their energies that gave rise to Shakti or Durga. She had 10 arms and the gods gave her their weapons to destroy the demon. She sat on a lion and fought with Mahishasura for nine nights and finally managed to destroy him completely on the tenth day. This day marks the celebration of Dasara which is preceded by Navratri.
Another legend takes us back to Ramayana when Rama, Laxmana, Hanuman and their troupe marched to Lanka to kill Ravana who had abducted Rama’s wife Sita. It is on Vijayadashmi that Rama killed Ravana and rescued his wife. In order to kill him, Rama had invoked Durga who had passed on secret knowledge to him to kill his enemy. After killing Ravana, they all reached Ayodhya and that is when Diwali was celebrated by lighting thousands of lamps for their welcome. The festival of Dusara is celebrated to mark this event by burning the effigies of Ravana in the evening.
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There is also a legend from the epic Mahabharata that is one of the reasons to celebrate Dasara. According to this one, after Pandavas lost to Kauravas, they were exiled in the forest for 12 years. The Pandavas hid all their weapons in a Shami tree that had a hole. On Vijayadashmi, after completing their exile, they retrieved their weapons and revealed their true identity to the Kauravas and also defeated them. Since it was the Shami tree that protected their weapons and eventually helped them win their kingdom back, it is worshipped on Dasara and exchanging Shami leaves on this day is considered auspicious.
Leaves from Aapati tree are also considered auspicious because it is believed that Kuber on the insistence of Indra made gold coins rain on the Aapati trees around Ayodhya. This was done because Kautsa wanted to gift his guru something for imparting wisdom in him. The guru earlier refused and later asked for 140 million gold coins. Since Kautsa did not have these many gold coins, he turned to King Raghu who was known for his generosity. The king did not have so much gold at that time and in turn went to Indra who then summoned Kuber, the god of wealth to this task. Since there were many gold coins left even after he gifted his guru, the rest were distributed amongst the people of Ayodhya. This is why people exchange Aapati tree leaves on Vijayadashami.
How is Dasara celebrated?
With so many legends around this festival, it goes without saying that it is celebrated in different ways in different parts of the county. Here’s a look at how varied regions celebrated the festival of Dasara.
North India
Within north India too there are different customs and rituals observed during Dasara. One of the most popular ones is the Ramleela, which is an enactment of the Ramayana. This takes place in different parts like Varanasi which has one of the oldest Ramleela groups, other regions include Agra, Rishikesh, Delhi, etc. These plays take place on an enormous scale and are even a livelihood of many people. Another tradition which is followed in the north is to sow barley on the first day of Navrati so that it grows by the tenth day. These are then distributed for good luck. Men pluck them out and put them behind their ears on Dasara.
In Himachal Pradesh, Kullu Dushhera is celebrated which lasts for seven days. This tradition began in the 17th century when King Jagat Singh installed an idol of Rughunath on his throne and he was declared the deity of the valley.
Another Dasara ritual that is common in other parts of the country also is the burning of effigies of Ravana in the evening. This signifies his end and the triumph of good over evil. Dasara also marks the end of summer and the beginning of winter. Earlier, the burning of firecrackers and effigies was also to provide warmth in the air on the onset of cold. Winter also is believed to bring infections with it and the fumes released from the effigies had phosphorus that apparently purified the air. Once Dasara is over in the north, people begin cleaning their homes to keep it ready for Diwali.
West Bengal and Odisha
West Bengal is known for its Durga Puja that begins a few days after Navratri begins. Here, Durga is worshipped and on the last day which is Vijayadashami, the idol is bid goodbye by immersing her in a water body. Before the bisarjan, married women apply vermillion on the idol and then on each other to wish each other a happy married life. This ritual is called sindoor khela as it often results in a game of Holi with sindoor. Special sweets are also prepared on this day and the idol is decorated in the best way possible. It is believed that Durga comes to her parents’ house during Durga Puja and on Dasara, she goes back to her in-laws’ home so she has to look her best. After the rituals, the idol is immersed among great pomp and vigor.
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In Odisha, Dasara celebrations last for 10 days or more. In fact, Dasara is a bigger festival than even Diwali in this state and schoolchildren have a vacation during this time instead of during Diwali. Durga is worshipped on all the days and on the last day, a special feast is made for her by married women. This includes pakhal (rice soaked in water), pitha (baked sweet) and fried fish. After offering these delicacies to the goddess, her idol or image is carried out in a procession for the locals. This is known as bisarjan jatra. Then, it is immersed in a river or pond. After the bisarjan, Ravana Podi is celebrated where effigies of him are burned in the evening.
Maharashtra
People of Maharashtra consider Dasara to be an auspicious day for new beginnings. New ventures like buying a new home or car or starting a new business are done on Dasara. People also exchange bidi leaf as it signifies gold. They also buy gold on Dasara as it is auspicious. In the evening, effigies of Ravana are burnt. Followers of Ambedkar celebrate Dasara as Ashok Vijayadashami because it is believed to be the day Emperor Ashok converted to Buddhism in Nagpur. Celebrations are held in Nagpur to commemorate this event and feasts and entertainment programs are organized.
Mysore
One of the biggest Dasara celebrations takes place in Karnataka in Mysore. The whole city comes together and is lit up for the grand occasion. Mysore Palace remains lit up for all 10 days but it is the grand procession on the last that truly is magical and worth a visit. Elephants, camels, etc are brought in to be a part of the celebration to make it look more extravagant. On one of the elephants is a pure gold canopy on which the idol of Chamundeshwari is placed and paraded from Mysore Palace to Bannimantap. The sight is spectacular to watch as performances are lined up and the celebration is on in full swing. The significance of such a grand celebration in Mysore is because it is believed that the name Mysore is derived from Mahishasura who was slayed by Chamundeshwari.
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Rest of south India
Not just Karnataka, other parts of south India also celebrate Dasara in their own way. In Kerala, the ninth day of Navratri is celebrated as Saraswati Puja and the next day children begin their formal education. They write for the first time on rice spread on a plate using their index finger. An elder of the family guides them with the process. Those who work in factories perform Ayudha Puja where they worship their tools. In Tamil Nadu, people celebrate Golu where dolls of gods and goddesses are used to set up everyday scenes. On Dasara, one doll from the setup is symbolically put to sleep and then the Golu is dismantled after offering prayers. This is done because when Durga needed pwower, all the other gods combined their powers and transferred it into her so that she could fight the demon.
This is how Dasara is celebrated in different parts of India. Do you have a ritual we missed out on? Tells us in the comments section below.
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