Dussehra or Vijayadashmi marks the end of nine days of Navratri festivities. While it remains a major festival across the country — it celebrates the victory of good over evil — Dussehra celebrations vary from place to place. Here are 10 different ways that the festival is celebrated in India.
Perhaps the grandest festivities are held in the state of West Bengal in the form of Durga Puja! Several places across the state, especially Kolkata, come to life with bright lights, vibrant colors and fascinating pandals of Durga idols. On the tenth day women offer sindoor (vermilion powder) to each other and the Goddess which later transpires into a game of sindoor holi.
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At Dhalpur maidan in Kullu, Dussehra begins on the 10th day and goes on for another seven days. The Dussehra culture here is believed to have begun in the 17th century when the local king installed an idol of Lord Raghunath declaring him the ruling deity of the valley.
Photograph courtesy: Suchana Seth/Creative Commons
Mysore Dussehra is quite popular all across the globe. The city gets transformed on the day of Dussehra. The celebrations of nine nights reach the zenith as the earthen lamps and flower decorations announce the victory of good over evil. Mysore Palace is illuminated for the entire month but on the day of Vijayadashami, goddess Chamundeshwari is carried out from Palace to Banni Mantappa in a spectacular procession that thousands come to witness and be part of.
The whole state of Gujarat celebrates Dussehra after the 9-day Navratra festivities. An aarti of the Goddess is followed by people playing garba or dandiya, the famous gujarati dance forms, all through the night.
After worshiping goddess Durga for the nine days of Navratri, Maharashtra worships Saraswati on Dussehra. People consider it an auspicious day to start something new. Gold is purchased on this day and coconut ladoos are prepared as part of the celebration. Ambedkarites celebrate this day as it is believed to be the day Emperor Asoka converted to Buddhism. This grand festival and congregation is held at Nagpur and millions gather to remember the Dhhamma-Chakra Pravartan done by Dr Ambedkar to convert to Buddhism.
Kerala is the state in India with the highest literacy rate so it should come as no surprise that on Dussehra they bow their heads before the goddess of learning. Several educational courses begin on this day and young children are introduced to formal learning on this day.
Kashmir has a rather intriguing way of celebrating Dussehra. Barley seeds are planted on the commencement of Navratri and then, on the day of Dussehra, the new shoots are placed by men in their caps or behind their ears as a symbol of luck.
Similar to Kashmir, Punjabis sow pulses, cereals and other seeds on the first day of Navratri. On Vijayadashmi, the 10-day sprouts called Khetri are submerged in water. This custom is linked to harvesting as sowing and reaping of barley symbolizes the first fruit.
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Certain states in south India, especially Tamil Nadu, display dolls called Golu or bommai kolu that are used to set up everyday scenes with the presence of divine Goddesses. On the Vijayadashmi evening, any one doll from the kolu is symbolically put to sleep and the kolu is dismantled after offering prayers thanking the Lord for a successful year. The legend goes that when Goddess Durga needed tremendous power, all other gods and goddesses transferred their powers to her while they all stood still as statues. The small statues/dolls in the shape of these gods and goddesses are a sign of respect the devotees have for them.
Uttarakhand and indeed several other north Indian states mark the victory of Rama over Ravana by burning the latter’s effigies. The burning often marks theculmination of the Ramlila, which depicts on stage the life of Rama. Also burnt with him are effigies of Ravana’s son Meghnath and brother Kumbhakaran.
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