Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, Dasara, Dashahara, and Dashain, is a major Hindu festival celebrated yearly on the 10th day of the bright half of the Ashwin month per the Hindu calendar. The day falls in either September or October of the Gregorian calendar. The festival of Dussehra marks the victory of good over evil. It also marks the end of the Navratri festival. It is one of the Saade-Teen Muhurtas and an auspicious day for starting a new venture.

Meaning of the Words Dussehra and Vijayadashami:

The word Dussehra is a distorted form of the word Dashahara. The word Dashahara comprises two words, viz. Dasha and Hara. Dasha means ten (which most likely represents Dashami). The word Hara has two meanings. One is “to defeat” and the other is “to remove”. Therefore, this word has two meanings: “the remover of bad fate” and “the tenth day on which evil was defeated”.

Why is Dussehra Celebrated?

Dussehra is celebrated to commemorate the victory of good over evil. There are at least three stories in Hindu texts that mention that the gods defeated evil forces on this day. But it is mainly associated with the defeat of Ravana.

To Celebrate the Victory of Lord Rama over Ravana:

Ravana was a mighty Asura king who kidnapped Sita, the wife of Lord Rama. When Lord Rama learned about this, he sent an ambassador to him and asked him to return his wife, but arrogant Ravana declined this offer and challenged him to war.

Therefore, Lord Rama, with the help of an army of monkeys, attacked Lanka and killed the demon forces. It was the 10th day of the Ashwin month when Lord Rama sealed his victory over Ravana by killing him.

Therefore, Dussehra is celebrated to commemorate this event so that people would remember that, however powerful evil forces may be, the forces of good always triumph.

The Slaying of Mahishasura:

Mahishasura was a demon whose body was part-buffalo and part-human. It was because he was the son of an asura named Rambha and Mahisha, a she-buffalo. He did severe penance for about 10,000 years and propitiated Lord Brahma, who granted him a boon that any god, asura, or man would not defeat him. He excluded women because he thought that no woman was powerful enough to kill him.

After receiving the boon, Mahishasura defeated the gods and tortured innocent people. As only a woman was able to kill him, all the gods approached Goddess Parvati and requested her to kill him. Therefore, Goddess Parvati assumed the form of Durga. To defeat a powerful demon like Mahishasura, Goddess Parvati needed divine weapons and accessories provided by the gods. Her father, Himavan, gave her a divine lion, who became her vahana. Other gods gave her many divine weapons.

The Battle Between Goddess Durga and Mahishasura:

When Mahishasura came to know that the gods had sent a woman to kill him, who was very beautiful, he laughed at first and sent a marriage proposal to her. When Goddess Durga declined his proposal, he sent his army to kill her, which was butchered by the goddess. Therefore, Mahishasura decided to confront her.

A fierce battle took place between Devi Durga and Mahishasura. The demon was mighty, and it was not easy to kill him. The battle lasted for 10 days. She took nine different forms in nine days. These nine forms are known as Navadurga. Mahishasura took the form of different animals to confuse the goddess. On the 10th day, he retook the form of a buffalo. At that time, Goddess Durga pierced his heart with a trident. This day is celebrated as Vijayadashami, the victory of good over evil.

Dussehra and Pandavas:

Pandavas were forced to spend 12 years in exile and one year in disguise because of their defeat in a game. They were living as ordinary people in the Virata kingdom. But after Bheema killed Keechaka, the Kauravas were alerted and guessed that the Pandavas must be hiding in the Virata kingdom. Therefore, the Kaurava army attacked the kingdom.

The Virata army was no match for the Kauravas and was about to be defeated. Arjuna decided to come out of disguise and protect the kingdom that sheltered them in their bad times. He took out the weapons hidden inside a Shami tree and defeated the Kaurava army single-handedly. After this, the Pandavas returned to Hastinapur.

The day this event happened was the tenth day of Ashwin. Therefore, this day is celebrated as Vijayadashami.

Significance of Vijayadashami:

1. One of the Saade Teen Muhurtas:

According to Indian astrology, Dussehra is one of the three-and-a-half auspicious muhurtas and is an ideal day to begin new ventures.

2. Worship of Goddess Saraswati:

On this day, students worship slates and books. They draw the Saraswati Yantra on the slates and do Puja of the educational material.

3. Ayudha Puja (Weapon Worship):

On Vijayadashami, Hindus clean and service their weapons and perform Puja. Not only weapons but also equipment, machines, vehicles, etc., used by different tradesmen are worshipped.

It is believed that the gods worshipped her weapons when Goddess Durga slayed Mahishasura on the tenth day of the war. Therefore, this tradition started.

The performance arts tradition during the Dussehra festival was inscribed by UNESCO as one of the “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” in 2008.

How is Dussehra Celebrated?

Vijayadashami is a public holiday in India. Most businesses and institutions are closed on this day. Fairs are organized throughout the country. People clean their houses thoroughly. Sweets are made at home for the occasion. Tools, weapons, and vehicles are worshipped and serviced. People buy new clothes, appliances, vehicles, etc., on this day.

Dussehra is celebrated in different ways all over India. In Northern India, Ramlila is organized to depict the crucial events in Lord Rama’s life. In the evening, humongous effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Indrajeet are burnt.

West Bengal:

In West Bengal, Dussehra is called Bijayo Dashomi. On this day, the idols of Goddess Durga are immersed in a water body after a procession.

Maharashtra:

In Marathi, Dussehra is called Dasara. It is a significant festival in Maharashtra. In old times, Maratha forces used to begin new military campaigns on this day. Simollanghan (crossing the border) ritual is still observed in the villages where people cross the borders of their village. People wear new clothes on this day. They exchange Apta leaves in the evening with their friends and relatives and forget the disputes in the past. They visit temples and offer Apta leaves to the gods. Apta leaves are treated as “gold” on this day.

Nepal:

In Nepal, the festival is called Dashain. It is celebrated for 15 days. On this day, youngsters visit their family and relatives, students visit their teachers, and government workers visit the head of state. The elders give some money and blessings to the youngsters.

Why Do Some Hindus Distribute Apta Leaves on Dussehra?

In Western and Northern India, many people exchange Apta leaves on the day of Vijayadashami. The story behind this tradition is in the Ramayana.

In Ayodhya, a young man named Kautsa formally completed his education and wanted his guru to accept the fees for it. His guru, Varatantu, did not want fees, but Kautsa was persistent. Therefore, to get rid of him, Varatantu asked for 140 million gold coins as fees. He knew that Kautsa would not be able to get so much wealth and would leave the thought of the fees.

Unable to collect such a huge amount, Kautsa approached Lord Rama and requested that he pay his fees. Lord Rama promised him the amount and asked him to wait under an Apta tree in his village after three days.

Lord Rama approached Lord Kubera, and with his help, he showered the leaves of the Apta tree over Kautsa, which turned into gold coins. Kautsa collected the gold leaves and paid his fees. The remaining coins he donated to the poor. This event happened on the day of Dussehra.

People distribute Apta leaves on the day of Vijayadashami to commemorate this event.