DUSSEHRA
Dussehra or Vijay Dashmi is celebrated
with great joy and festivity for 10 continuous
days during the month of September or October.
Dussehra celebrates Lord Ram's victory over
ten-headed Ravana, the evil king of Lanka who
abducted Rama's wife, Sita, and was subsequently
vanquished in battle. It is also considered
to be a symbol of the victory of Good over Evil.
During the ten days of celebrations,
the story of Lord Ram is enacted in dances and
dramas (Ramlila, the story
of Rama) all over North India. On the last (tenth)
day, effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkaran,
and his son, Meghnath, are packed with firecrackers
and burnt at sunset. Large crowds gather to
watch the effigies being burnt.
Dussehra is a grand occasion
in Mysore. Caparisoned elephants lead a colorful
procession through the streets of the city.
In Bengal, Dussehra is celebrated
as Durga Puja, the Goddess Durga being the consort
of Lord Shiva. Durga Puja is mostly a community
affair and almost every colony or locality in
Bengal erects tents for the grand puja. The
city of Calcutta hardly sleeps during the last
five days. Many cultural events are organized
during this period. Dhunuchi nritya or 'the
dance with effervescent smoke' is a traditional
dance performed in front of the idol to the
beat of the dhaki or traditional
drums. The annual visit of the Goddess Durga
is thought to bring well-being and happiness.
Because of her auspicious presence, no meat,
wine or alcohol is consumed at this time. Some
people fast for all the days. Everyone is expected
to have new clothes for the festival. Durga
Puja is also celebrated with enthusiasm by Bengalis
living outside Bengal.
During Navratri or the nine
days preceding Dussera people worship the Mother
Goddess or 'Devi Ma'. She is worshipped in all
her 3 forms - as Saraswati (the goddess of all
creative art and speech, and consort of Brahma,
the creator), Lakshmi (the goddess of fortune,
granter of peace of wealth, and the consort
of Vishnu, the preserver), and Parvati (the
most powerful and complex of all goddesses,
and consort of Shiva, the destroyer). People
also worship the tools of their trade.
In Gujarat Navratri is a community
affair. Young girls, resplendent in chaniya
cholis dance away the night doing the traditional
Garbha dance or Dandiya
Raas.
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