Happy Dussehra!

Vijayadashami also called as Dussehra or Dasara, is a blend of two words ‘vijaya’ and ‘dashami’. Vijaya means ‘victory’ and dashami means ‘tenth’. The word ‘Dussehra’ is actually taken from Sanskrit. The words ‘dasha’ means ‘ten’ and ‘hara’ means ‘defeat’.

This festival signifies the celebration of the triumph of good over evil. The festival is observed on the tenth day of Ashvin according to the Hindu calendar. This generally falls in the Gregorian months of September or October.

Dussehra symbolizes the end of Durga Puja. Where demon Mahishasur is defeated by Goddess Durga. The fight was to restore Dharma. The day also symbolizes the victory of the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Rama killed demon Ravana. He later handed over the throne of Lanka to his brother Vibhishana.

Today we are celebrating Dusshehra all over India with a lot of enthusiasm and contentment. It is celebrated different style in different states of India

In our state Telangana, women prepare Bathukamma and make flower rangolis. Bathukamma, which means mother goddess come alive. They welcome Goddess Durga to their houses.

In Kerala, formal education is pioneered to kids. In Maharashtra, the day is considered auspicious and people tend to buy new home or gadgets.

In West Bengal, starting from the sixth day till the tenth day Goddess Durga is worshipped. In Delhi, huge effigies of Ravana, Ravana’s Meghnad and Ravana’s brother Kumbhakaran are burnt to signify the triumph of good over evil.

Goddess Chamundeshwari is worshipped in Mysore. It is celebrated very grandly here. They take out a grand procession with all elephants decorated and lighting of thousands of lights.

Whereas in West Bengal, Durga Puja starts on Shashti, that is the sixth day of Navratri, and it ends on Vijayadashmi, that is on the tenth day. The idols of Goddess Durga are immersed in water bodies.