The word “Dussehra” comes from the Sanskrit word, where “Dus” means 10 and “Hara” means annihilated. Thus, when these 2 words merged the meaning “Annihilating of 10 evil faces with the hand of Lord Ram”. This is a festival that comes from the great Hindu epic Ramayana which states that Lord Ram, the 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu, killed the 10-headed Ravan in Sat yuga. It is because Ravan kidnapped Lord Rama’s wife Sita.

According to mythology, the day is marked as the culmination of the 9-day Navratri festival. This is a day when Maa drug killed Mahishasur and liberated the world from the evil force. The word “Navratri” means 9 nights in Sanskrit, as “Nava” means 9 and “Ratri” means night. And during this night and 10 days, the 9 nine forms of Shakti Devi are worshipped.

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About Vijayadashami 2024

This day is not only remembered as triumphing over demon king Ravana but also for killing the Mahashasur. On this day, Maa Durga fought a battle against the demon Mahashasur to restore Dharma and mark the victory over evil. So, the worshipping of maa Durga and celebrating Dussehra came into being and was dedicated as Vijayadashami.

This year Vijayadashami was observed on 12th October 2024

Vijay Muhurat: 02:49 Pm to 03:34 Pm

Afternoon Puja time: 02:04 Pm to 04:19 Pm

Dashami tithi begins: at 01:28 Am on 12th October 2024

Dashami tithi ends: 11:38 Pm on 12th October 2024

Shravan Nakshatra begins: 07:55 Pm on 11th October 2024

Shravan Nakshatra ends: 06:57 Pm on 12th October 2024

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Deity of Dashami Festival

Dussehra is the festival of victory and the occurrence of an event when Lord Ram defeated the demon Ravan and conquered his territory before reaching his hometown Ayodhya. It is predicted that Lord Ram took 20 Lunar Cycles to come back to Ayodhya after defeating the demon Ravana from the exile of a prolonged 14 years.

Goddess Aparajita: In many places, the goddess Aprajita is worshipped as the deity of an Odyssey. As her name suggests, she cannot be defeated, and thus, Lord Ram looks for the blessings of Goddess Aparajita before raising a war against Ravana. However, in the age of Vedic, the worship of Goddess Aparajita was restricted to only Kshatriya and kings.

Shami Tree: The Shami tree is an important tree of an earlier era as it is believed that before hiding for a long 1 year Arjun his weapons inside the Shami tree for its protection. So, in the southern part of India, the tree is honored as a sign of kindness. In the southern state of India, the Shami Puja is also well-versed as Banni and Jammi Puja.

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Dashami Rituals

The festival is celebrated differently all over India. In Northern and Western India, it is celebrated in honor of Lord Rama. Drama, dance, and musical plays are performed in Ramlila. Based on tales as mentioned in Ramcharitmanas are performed at fairs.

In Northern India, the Dussehra is also celebrated by burning dummies of the demon Ravana. It is celebrated 20 days before Diwali. On this occasion, the rituals of Ramlila take place where plays and music revolve around the tales of Ramayana attended by crowds of believers in the days preceding Diwali. Many people also perform astrological tips and rituals to make their Dussehra more memorable.

In West Bengal, the day is celebrated by upholding Durga Puja.

In southern India, the 9 days of Navratri are observed with a show of Gods and Dolls called Golu. Sweets are prepared on this special occasion of Dussehra to mark the festival.

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Ravan Dahan: The Victorious Journey of Lord Ram

In some places, the main attraction of Dussehra is Ravan Dahan. It includes the burning of towering statues along with those of his brother Kumbhakaran and son Meghnad. Additionally, people also set off fireworks and enjoy celebrations with their families. Colorful fairs and exhibitions are put up in many places. Generally, the timing of Ravan Dahan is between 5 to 7 P.m.

Importance of Dussehra Celebration

The festival has its importance in Hindu Culture. The Dussehra signals the end of evil by the good and the day also marks the end of Ramlila and celebrates Lord Rama’s victory over the demon king Ravana. Thus, they celebrate the day as a mark of a new start, the establishment of novel things in society, and freedom from negativity and evil that reside inside us. According to Hindu scripture, it is believed that on this day by doing Durga Saptami Puja or following other rituals Goddess Durga blesses and protects us from all malefic forces.

In Mysore, the celebration is held on a large scale where Dussehra honors the Goddess Chamundeshwari of Chamundi Hills, who killed the powerful King Mahishasura.

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