As we all know famously, Dussehra is the day when Lord Rama killed king Ravana. However, there are more interesting facts about Dussehra. Want to know? Read on …
In some sub-cultures of Hinduism, Dussehra is also called Vijay Dashmi, which means victory on the tenth day. It is celebrated as Vijay Dashmi to mark the victory of Goddess Durga over the Demon King Mahishasura.
India is a country rich in diversity, resulting which throughout our country, this day of victory of good over evil is celebrated in various ways – be it through Ram Leela in parts of North India; large-scale processions in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh; Garba in Gujarat; or Golu in parts of South India.
Do you also know …
People worship Ravana in some places of India and world!
Ravana was half demon and half Brahmin. His father was Ishwashrava, who was a sage belonging to Pulastya clan. His mother Kaikasi was a demon. He was a super skilled fighter and was extremely knowledgeable of Vedas and astrology. He was such a great king that when Lord Rama killed Ravana, he asked his brother Lakshmana to go learn the art of running a kingdom and diplomacy from the dying king.
Although Ravana is considered the ultimate antithesis of ‘good’ by most Indians, there are parts of India where he is loved and adored. Take Mandsaur and Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh for example. Here Ravana is not only respected but also worshipped – there are temples dedicated to him. Ravana is revered in Mandsaur as it is believed that his wife Mandodari hailed from here. That makes him the son-in-law of Mandsaur. People of Mandsaur also respect Ravana for being wise and knowledgeable and for his devotion towards Lord Shiva.
Similarly, the Gond Tribals of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, worship both Ravana and his son Meghanada. They believe that Ravana is misrepresented as cruel and point to Valmiki’s Ramayana in which he is praised for being knowledgeable and a great king.
In Sri Lanka, Ravana has been given the status of a demigod. It is believed that under him, the country witnessed unparalleled advancements in science and medicine. In fact, he wrote several books on Ayurveda, and they still exist.
Similarly, Ravana is worshipped in other places in India for his devotion to Lord Shiva. These places include Bisrakh (Uttar Pradesh), Kangra (Himachal Pradesh), Mandya and Kolar (Karnataka) and Jodhpur (Rajasthan).
Dussehra is much more than being just about Rama and Ravana
While Dussehra is usually associated with the victory of Rama over Ravana, however in East and South India, Dusshera is celebrated for different reasons.
In West Bengal, and especially Kolkata, the statue of Maa Durga defeating the demon Mahishasura towers all over. Men, women, and children gather around as the drums roll and the priests chant prayers seeking her blessings.
Did you also know that down South, the most famous Dussehra celebrations in India are done in the city of Mysore? Goddess Chamundeshwari is worshipped on this day, and a grand procession of her idol is taken out across the city. All major buildings are decorated with lights and colour. In Mysore, the tradition of celebrating Dussehra began under the Vijaynagar’s king in the fifteenth century.
Meanwhile, in Telangana, Goddess Gauri is praised and worshipped with floral arrangements, with women offering special foods to the deity. And, in Kulasekharapatnam town in Tamil Nadu, Goddess Kali is revered for all her fierce glory and powerful persona.
Other famous Dussehra celebrations in India include that of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. People from all over the country visit Kullu, also called the Valley of Gods, to participate in this mega festival. It begins on the tenth day of Navratri, i.e., Dussehra and continues for a week after that. It starts with a procession of Lord Raghunath carried with other deities across town.
Dussehra is not only celebrated in India but also in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Malaysia. It is a national holiday in Malaysia. It is celebrated with equal excitement in these countries as they have a sizeable Hindu population.
In Tamil Nadu, the celebration of Dussehra is called Golu. The idols are made to create various scenarios which depict the culture and heritage. According to legend, since Goddess Durga needed immense power, all other Gods and Goddesses transferred their powers to her. As an outcome, they stood still as statues.
Homecoming
Dussehra also marks the homecoming of Pandavas from their exile of 13 years. When the Pandavas had lost their kingdom, they were in exile for 12 years. It was said that if they were seen anywhere in the 13th year of hiding, they would have to start their exile all over again. So, at the start of the 13th, final year, they hid all their weapons on branches of Shami Tree. After the end of the 13th year on the sacred day of Vijay Dashmi, they worshipped their weapons along with Shami tree, and retrieved the weapons. Thus, Shami Tree is a symbol of goodwill. To this day, to mark this occasion, Ayudha pooja is performed on Dussehra. In fact, in North India, Ayudha pooja is known as Astra Pooja. With changing times, even machines and automobiles are worshipped during this pooja.
Some legends even mention that Goddess Durga, along with her children, Lakshmi, Ganesha, Kartik, and Saraswati came to her birthplace on Earth to stay at her parental home for some time. On the day of Dussehra, she returned to her husband Lord Shiva. Due to the return of Goddess Durga on Earth, i.e., her home, many communities in Hinduism practice the return of married and unmarried women to their homes.
Gurudakshina
After completing his education, a student named Kautsa, offered gurudakshina to his teacher, Rishi Varatantu. Rishi politely refused, but Kautsa insisted. Finally, the rishi asked Kautsa to give him 140 million gold coins – 10 million for each of the 14 sciences he had taught to him. Kautsa was dismayed with this demand because he was poor and penniless. He went to Raghuraja, the king of Ayodhya who was known for his generosity. However, the king also did not have any money and instead, approached Lord Indra for the money. Lord Indra, in turn, called Kubera, the god of wealth, and asked him to rain gold coins on the ‘Shanu’ and ‘Aapti’ trees in King Raghuraja’s kingdom. The king gave the coins thus bestowed to Kautsa, who, in turn, presented the money to his teacher. The teacher kept only the sum he had asked for and returned the rest to Kautsa. The student then offered to return the reminder coins back to the king, but king refused. Hence, Kautsa distributed the remaining coins among the people of Ayodhya on the day of Vijayadashami. Read more about Gurudakshina
Buddhism and Dussehra
Dussehra is not only celebrated by Hindus. Buddhists also consider it a sacred day. They believe that it was on this day that King Ashoka, broken hearted by the scale of devastation and deaths in the Kalinga war, converted to Buddhism. That is one reason why in Nagpur’s Deekshabhoomi, Dussehra is celebrated as Ashok Dashami.
Also, it was on Dussehra that Dr. B. R. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism. Ambedkar chose Buddhism for peace and tranquillity. However, Ambedkar remained a Hindu for next 20 years, studied then re-interpreted Buddhism, and adopted Neo-Buddhism or Navayana few weeks before his death.
Introducing writing words / letters or Vidyarambham
In Kerala, Dussehra is considered an auspicious day for introducing children to the world of writing words / letters. Children between three and five years of age are initiated into learning by making them write the mantra ‘Om Hari Shree Ganapathaye Namah’ on a tray of rice grains. The ceremony, in Malayalam, is called Ezhuthiniruthu.
Marks the change of season
Hinduism is rooted in science. The yagnas performed during Navaratri and Dussehra are believed to cleanse the environment of disease-causing germs prevalent during the shift from monsoon to winter – which is when Dussehra is celebrated.
Godess Durga and Lord Rama
Dussehra signifies the revealing of the power of both Lord Rama and Goddess Durga. Goddess Durga had revealed to Lord Rama the secret of killing the Demon King Ravana.
The 10 days of Navratri are marked by Ramleela being enacted across the country. On the final day of Dussehra, the scene of Lord Rama defeating Ravana takes place. To mark the end of Ramleela, an statue of Ravana is burned.
Ten Heads of Ravana
However, burning down the statue of Ravana signify the killing of all evils of the soul, which are represented by the ten heads of Ravana. Each of his head stands for an evil; kama stands for lust, krodha for anger, moha for attachment, lobh for greed, mada for pride, swarth for selfishness, matsara for jealousy, ahankara for ego, amanavta for lack of humanity and anyaya for injustice. Read more about 10 heads or Ravana
As that of the festive season is here, it is time to take a dip in the celebrations with your family and friends. Global Gyaan hopes and pray this Dussehra brings you smiles, satisfaction and prosperity!
Good to know.