Dusshera

                     
                   

                    As my homeland India celebrates Dusshera or Vijayadashami on 22-October-2015, I have decided to dedicate my current blog post to this great festival. Dusshera is one of the most significant Hindu Festivals celebrated in India.
                  Dusshera signifies the victory of good over evil.  Derived from Sanskrit, Dusshera refers to the defeat (hara) of the ten-headed demon king, Dashanan Ravan (shortly referred to as Dasha) at the hands of the great and mighty king Shri Rama.

   

                  This day also marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasur. The name 'Vijayadashami' also is derived from Sanskrit literally meaning victory on the tenth day (Dashami being the tenth lunar day of the Hindu Calendar month). The nine days preceding Dusshera or Vijayadashami are celebrated as Maha Navratri. 

                  Dusshera is celebrated on the tenth day of the  month of Ashwin according to the Hindu lunisolar Calendar which corresponds to September or October of the Gregorian Calendar. This year (2015), Dusshera is being celebrated on 22-October-2015 and 23-October-2015.

                  In India and Nepal, the harvest season begins at this time and so the Mother Goddess is invoked to begin the new harvest season and reactivate the vitality and fruitfulness of the soil. This is done through religious performances and rituals that are believed to invoke cosmic forces that revitalize the soil. Many Hindus observe this festival through social gatherings and food offerings to the Gods at home and in temples throughout India and Nepal.

                  It is believed that Shri Rama performed "Chandi Homa" and invoked the blessings of the Mother Goddess Durga, who blessed Shri Rama with the secret knowledge to kill Ravana. On the day of Ashvin Shukla Dashami, Shri Rama defeated Ravana and rescued Sita. Thus it is termed as Vijaya Dashami. 

                  In Northern India, there are outdoor fairs and large parades with effigies of the demons Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad  which are subsequently burnt in bonfires in the evening. 

  

                  In Eastern India, there are pandals of the Mother Goddess Durga to celebrate the victory of the Mother Goddess Durga over the demon king Mahishasura. 

                                     

                  In Southern India, the festival takes various forms ranging from the worship of the Goddess Chamundeshwari to exhibiting dolls from Navratri onwards known as 'Golu' which ends on Dusshera. 

                                     

                  In Western India, particularly in Maharashtra, the festival is celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Ashwin according to the Shaka Hindu Calendar.On the day of Dasara, the deities installed on the first day of Navratri are immersed in water. People visit each other and exchange sweets. People worship the 'Apta' tree and exchange its leaves (known as golden leaves) as a symbol of gold wishing each other a bright and prosperous future.

                                 

                    

                  On this auspicious occasion of Dusshera, I too would like to wish all my blog readers a bright and prosperous future and conclude this article.

                                                                         

                

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijayadashami
http://www.happydussehra-2015.com/dussehra-wishes-quotes.html
http://www.123wishes-quotes.com/dussehra-wallpaper/happy-dussehra-image-download/
http://happydussehraimagessms.in/happy-dussehra-2015-quotes-2.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navratri
http://happydussehraimagessms.in/dasara-wallpapers.html
http://www.happydussehra-2015.com/dussehra-2015-wallpaper.html
http://www.navratriwishesz.in/dussehra-quotes.html
http://www.happydussehra-2015.com/dussehra-image-download.html