Dussehra

Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is a major Hindu festival celebrated annually to mark the victory of good over evil. It takes place on the tenth day of the lunar month of Ashvin, typically in September or October.

Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is a Hindu festival that symbolizes the victory of good over evil. This celebration takes place on the tenth day of Navratri, a nine-night festival dedicated to the goddess Durga. Dussehra marks the end of this period of celebrations, typically occurring in September or October according to the Hindu lunar calendar.

Dussehra is celebrated in various ways across India. In northern India, it commemorates Lord Rama's victory over the demon Ravana, as recounted in the epic Ramayana. Effigies of Ravana, often gigantic, are burned to symbolize the destruction of evil. In southern India, Dussehra celebrates goddess Durga and her victory over the demon Mahishasura after a nine-day and night battle.

In Mysore, the festival takes on a particularly spectacular dimension with processions and the illumination of the royal palace. In Kolkata and eastern India, it coincides with Durga Puja, another grand celebration in honor of goddess Durga. Dussehra is a time of joy, dances, music, fireworks, and feasts, bringing together families and communities in a common celebration of the victory of good over evil.