Dussehra: Victory of Good over Evil
Dussehra is an important Hindu festival which celebrated almost all over the India. Though it is a Hindu festival but people of other communities become part of its celebrations with joy and fervor. Word Dussehra means that which takes away ten sins.
Significance of Dussehra:
Festival of Dussehra signifies victory of good over evil. Legend behind Dussehra goes like this; Lord Rama went into exile for 14 years to fulfill his father’s promise to his Mother. During the last year of their exile, demon king Ravana kidnapped Sita, Lord Rama’s wife. To save her, Lord Rama killed Ravana in a battle on this day. This way Lord Rama saved earth from the cruelties of demons.
Date of Dussehra:
Dussehra is celebrated in the month of Aswin according to Hindu calendar. Dussehra comes in the month of September or October. Dussehra is the tenth day after the Navratri period or Durga Puja days. Navratri are the nine days devoted to nine forms of Goddess Durga.
Celebration of Dussehra:
Dussehra is celebrated with great joy, happiness and excitement with believe in triumph of good over evil. Before Dussehra day, mythological story of Ramayana is dramatized on stage for nine days which is called Ramlila. This depiction of Ramlila is important part of Dussehra celebrations. Devotees throng to these Ramlila grounds in great numbers every night to watch their lord’s life.
On the last day of Ramlila which is Dussehra day, a fight between Lord Rama and Ravana is staged. After that climax of dussehra celebration is performed by burning the many feet tall effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran (Ravana’s brother) and Meghnad (Ravana’s son). The ensuing fire emerging from those effigies has enough heat to burn all malice in our hearts. This is a community festival where people collect to celebrate this.
In some parts of India people, especially farmer communities, pray Ravana also in the morning for the good crops and harvest. Sisters put red mark (Tilak) on the foreheads of their brothers and wish for their well being by putting freshly harvested barley ears.
