Vijayadashami also known as Dussehra or Ayudhapuja, is an important Hindu festival celebrated in a variety of ways in India, Nepal "Dussehra" is derived from Sanskrit, Dasha-hara is a form of Dashanan ravan ("Ravana's defeat").
The day marks the victory of Durga over the demon Mahishasura . The goddess fought with evil for ten days and nine nights. "Vijayadashami" is derived from the Sanskrit vijaya-dashami (victory on the dashami: the tenth day of the Hindu month).Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated twenty days after Vijayadashami.
Significance
Vijayadashami is celebrated on the tenth day of brighter fortnight the month of Ashwin according to the Hindu calendar, corresponding to September or October of the Gregorian calendar. The first nine days are celebrated as Navratri ("nine nights"), culminating on the tenth day as Dussehra.
Since the harvest season begins in India and Nepal at this time, the Durga is invoked by religious rituals to begin the harvest season and renew the fertility of the soil. Many Hindus observe the festival with social gatherings and food offerings to the gods at home and in temples throughout India and Nepal.
Victory of Ram over Ravan
On this day Ram (the seventh avatar of Vishnu) killed Ravana, who had abducted Ram's wife Sita to his kingdom Lanka. Ram, his brother Lakshman, their disciple Hanuman and an army fought a battle to rescue Sita. The story is recorded in the Hindu epic, the Ramayan.
On the day of Ashvin Shukla Dashami, Ram defeated Ravana and rescued Sita. Based on inferences from Valmiki's Ramyan, Kalidas'sRaghuvaa, Tulsidas' Ramcharitmanas and
Keshavdas Ramchandrika, Ram, Sita and Lakshman returned to Ayoudhya on the 30th day of Ashwin (19-20 days after Vijayadashami). To celebrate Ram's return, in the evening the city's residents lit millions of earthen lamps (deepak); the day is celebrated in India as Deepawali .
Observers recite Sundar Kaand (the fifth book of the Ramayan) for five days.Yajnas are thought to keep the household clean and healthy. Some perform yajnas and Sandhyavandanam three times a day to keep the heart, brain and digestion balanced in the absence of adequate winter sunlight.
It is believed that Dusshera marks the victory of Lord Rama and the end of the ten-headed Ravana. As per the legend, before taking on Ravana, Lord Rama invoked the blessings of Goddess Durga so as to kill the evil and malicious King of Lanka, Ravana. He prayed and fasted for nine days (coinciding with Navratri celebrations).
On the tenth day, Goddess Durga pleased with his devotion gave him the secret knowledge of how to kill Ravana. With the knowledge, he defeated Ravana and rescued his abducted wife, Devi Sita. Dusshera celebrations in North India relate with this legend and burn effigies of Ravana, Meghnath and Kumbhakaran.
Victory of Goddess Durga over Mahisasura
As per yet another legend, Dusshera is celebrated to mark the defeat of Mahisasura and the victory of Goddess Durga. The story says that asuras or demigods had become powerful and tried to defeat devas and capture heaven. Goddess Durga came to the rescue. She took up the form of Shakti to kill Mahishasura.
Riding on a lion, she fought Mahishasura for nine days and nights. On the tenth day, she killed Mahishasura. In East India, life-size clay idols of Goddess Durga depicting her slaying the demon Mahishasura are set up, coinciding with the Navratri and Dusshera festival.
Goddess Durga's Homecoming
There is another tale behind Dusshera celebrations. It is the day when Goddess Durga returns to Shiva, after nine days of reunion with her parents that coincides with the Navratri celebrations. Sati, who was the daughter of Daksha and Prasuti, worshipped Shiva as her prospective husband.
Pleased with her worship, Shiva married her, much against the wishes of her parents. When Sati's father organized a yajna, he invited everyone except Shiva. Displeased with this, Sati killed herself. Shivji, agonised by her death started the Tandav dance', causing destruction of the Earth. Lord Narayan came to the rescue and cut Sati's body into several pieces, thus pacifying Shiva.
In her next incarnation, Sati took birth as Parvati, or Shaila-Putri, the first form of Durga. It was on her rebirth that Lord Narayana asked Shiva to forgive King Daksha and allow Durga to visit her parents each year during Navratri.
Ashok Vijaya Dashmi
Followers of B R Ambedkar (Ambedkarite Buddhists) celebrate the festival as Ashok Vijayadashmi, since the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka is believed to have converted to Buddhism on this day.
Ambedkar converted to Buddhism on this day at Deekshabhoomi, Nagpur in 1956, which fell on 14 October that year. A festival and congregation is held at Nagpur, Maharashtra. Ambedkarite Buddhists organize community celebrations with speeches, meals and Buddhist-themed entertainment.
Dussehra Celebrations in India
Dusshera is celebrated with much excitement and fervour across the country. People revel in the festive tide by wearing new clothes, put on tilak or kumkum on forehead, exchange gifts, prepare delicacies, watch Ramlila plays and later in the evening burn huge effigies of Ravana.
Dussehra Celebrations Abroad
Interestingly, Dusshera is among the few Hindu festivals celebrated not just in India, but in other countries as well including Nepal, Bangladesh and others. Dusshera celebrations in Bangladesh are identical to those in Bengal. In Nepal, Vijayadashami is also known as Dashain.
Wishes
Dusshera signifies the victory of good over evil. May all the evils in and around you vanish by the virtue of the goodness in and around you. As the candlelight flame ur life may always be happy, As the mountain high u move without shy, As sunshine creates morning glory fragrance fills years as Flory, All darkness is far away As light is on its way.
Wishing U all a very Happy Vijaya Dashami !!!
Cricket
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
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