Dussehra is a festival celebrated in the Hindu religion. It is one of the most important festivals in India. Dussehra, also known as Dashahara, Vijayadashami, or Dasara. People celebrated Dussehra with great enthusiasm and love, throughout the country. It is time for rejoicing for everyone. The students get ten-day-long holidays from their schools and colleges to thoroughly enjoy this festival. Dussehra falls two or three weeks before Diwali. Thus, it falls usually around September to October. Everyone waits for this festival eagerly. Dussehra is celebrated with great fervor and fanfare. It brings great reasons to rejoice by all. The ladies prepare for their pujas while the men buy crackers and more to celebrate it heartily. There is a mythological background behind this festival. The dwellers of the Earth and the heaven were troubled and tortured by the notorious demon Mahisasura. Other heavenly Gods were also afraid of him. On their earnest prayer and request, the Goddess Durga was born from fire. As an embodiment of Shakti or strength and valor, Goddess Durga appeared before the demon. The demon was bewitched by her beauty and was killed by her. His death brought relief to the Earth and heaven. To honor her, Dussehra is celebrated.
The celebration of Dussehra goes on for ten days. In the northern part of India, people celebrate it as Navaratri. People fast for nine days and worship Goddess Durga. On the ninth day of the celebration, they break their fast and indulge in mega feasts. They dance “Garba” or “Dandiya” as a tradition. People wear new clothes and go to fairs. They distribute sweets to each other. In the eastern part of the country, i.e., West Bengal, Assam, and Odessa, Dussehra is celebrated with much fanfare. It is a big celebration and the most important celebration for them. As per Hindu mythology, after killing Mahisasura, Goddess Durga comes to her father’s house on Earth along with her four children. And she leaves after five days. Clay images of Durga are made along with the images of her children. The effigies are brilliantly decorated. The Goddess has ten hands and she holds different weapons in all her hands including a snake.
She sits on a lion, which is a holy carrier. Large Pedals with elaborate decorations, dazzling illumination are erected at several places in cities and also in rural areas. The use of precious metals like gold and silver in huge quantities in the image of Goddess Durga makes this festival grand and golden. Different shops and fairs are set up temporarily around the Puja mandapas. People gather in large numbers in these shops to eat street food and buy traditional things. Children swarm around the shops to buy balloons and toys.
Even though Dussehra is celebrated differently in different parts of the country, the common theme is the victory of good over evil. It is a very important and auspicious festival for the Hindus. Though the festival of Dussehra comes to an end, it marks the beginning of the preparations for the festival of Diwali.
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