Dussehra: History, Significance and Celebration

We live in a world where there are many religions, traditions, beliefs and people from any strata of life celebrate every single celebration as their own. India is one of the most diverse countries ever in the world. It is part of Asia's culture, but people from all over the world celebrate many celebrations like Diwali, Holi etc. Dussehra is one of such festivals which is widely celebrated with great significance.

Introduction

Dussehra is a major festival celebrated by the people who belong to the Hindu religion. Celebrated from the different parts of the world for several reasons, Dussehra is also known as Vijayadashami, Dasara and Dashain. The spelling differs from one regional language to another. Celebrating Dussehra has a superior moral which reaches people ultimately as a message.

When is Dussehra celebrated? 

Navaratri is a Hindu festival which is celebrated once in a year. Navaratri spans for nearly nine nights which is ten days every year at the end of the autumn season. Dussehra is observed at the end of every Navaratri festival. Concerning the calendar, Dussehra is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin which is the seventh month of the Hindu Luni-Solar Calendar. This date falls in September and October in the Gregorian calendar.

Dussehra 2022 Date

• When is Dussehra 2022?

Dussehra for the year 2022 is celebrated/observed on Wednesday, 5 October.

• Dussehra dates for the years 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027

Dussehra 2021 Date

Dussehra 2021 will be celebrated on Friday, October 15, 2021.

Also, according to drikpanchang.com, the Vijay muhurat of Dussehra will start at 2:02 pm and continue till 2:48 pm. Moreover, Aparahna Puja Muhurat will begin at 1:16 pm and end up at 3:34 pm.

History of Dussehra

Dussehra or Vijayadashmi is observed for different reasons and by different parts of the world in the subcontinent of India. The east, north and south of India celebrate it without fail. The following is the historical aspect which surrounds Dussehra.

1. Ramayana

Ramayana is one of the famous Indian Epic, which is said to be old. The book is approximately dated to around 500 BCE to 100 BC and said to be written down by a sage named Valmiki. The story of this great Sanskrit epic revolves around three main characters, namely Rama, Sita and Ravana. The book is very voluminous and heavy. However, it has many interpretations, and still different perspectives of the book are rising. Rama is the son of a King of Ayodhya named Dasharatha. He grows up and wins the hands of Sita, and they both marry and live peacefully. Due to issues with throning the next King, disputes arise, and Rama, Sita along with his brother Lakshmana leave the kingdom. 

They live in the exile, in the forest, in harmony with nature. Shurpanakha, an evil creature falls for the handsomeness of the brothers, Rama and Lakshmana. She tries hard to seduce them, and in failing, she attempts to kill Sita. Lakshmana tries to save Sita and slices Shurpanakha's nose and ears. Sita is later tricked by Shurpanakha's brother Ravana, and she is kidnapped. She is kept constrained by Ravana as she refuses to marry him in the kingdom, present-day Sri Lanka. 

Rama finds his kingdom and asks him to leave his wife alone. Ravana refuses, and this leads to war between the two kings. Ravana performs several sacred rituals and fastings which impresses the Lord Brahma. According to Hindu mythology and religion, Lord Brahma is the creator god. Ravana receives a boon which makes him the most powerful demon. Anyone with ultimate power always seems to misuse it, and Ravana was no exception. When Ravana turned into a huge burden, Lord Vishnu incarnated as Rama in human form. Rama defeats the demon king, and Sita gets rescued. The evil rule was put into the end, and the good won. Ravana had ten heads, and killing one who has ten heads is called Dussehra. 

2. Mahabharata

Mahabharata is another great epic which belongs to India. This is penned down by Vyasa and belongs to the religion of Hinduism. Mahabharata was written in Sanskrit; however, it was translated into many other languages in the future. The Mahabharata could have compiled 3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE. Dussehra is closely linked with Mahabharata for the following reasons: 

1. Arjuna, the third son of King Pandu and one of the Pandavas, is said to be the strongest of the rest. 
2. He is said to be the best archers in the entire dynasty and is skilled enough to kill many people at a time. 
3. Arjuna is said to have defeated Kauravas single-handedly in the war called the Virata war. 

Therefore on the day of Dussehra, it is believed that Arjuna defeated nearly 100 Kauravas as a one-person army. 

Significance of Dussehra

The question "Why is Dussehra celebrated?" always arises and people often go check out the significance of this festival. As far as the significance of Dussehra is concerned, it lies in the moral of the story, Ramayana, the great Indian epic. Ravana is one of the most dangerous Rakshasas with ten heads. No matter what the boon he has, ultimately he failed. Dharma is a concept which means that the good has to be rewarded and the bad has to be punished no matter what. The very virtuous one is often awarded and seen as equal to God, the creator himself. Dussehra is therefore celebrated as the victory of the good against the evil. 

How is Dussehra celebrated? 

Dussehra festival in India is celebrated in many parts of India, and there are different things, rituals which can be observed by all. The following are the few places where Dussehra is celebrated and where it is Dussehra. 

1. Tamil Nadu: 

Tamil Nadu is located in the south part of India, where rituals an celebrations are taken seriously. Dussehra here is celebrated around a temple called the Mutharamman Temple. People dress up as the real Ravanan and so many events like music, dancing and drama go on the entire ten days during the Dussehra. People do put up drama and many shows trying to put up the Ramayana. The beats of Thara Thappattam, which is a traditional musical instrument in Tamil Nadu, keeps beating throughout the festival and it will move your soul and body. Golu is a famous festival which is celebrated during Navratri to honour the three goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. Brahmins are usually the ones who arrange different types of dolls and women, along with their children, will be invited to sing songs and share gifts. 

2. Delhi: 

Delhi is the capital of India, and it has the pride of putting up the Ramayana Epic as a drama and blesses the audience with the moral of the story. Temples are greatly decorated to celebrate the Ram Leela. The demon, Ravana along with other two demons Meghanad and Kumbhakaran are burnt in various parts of the city. Watching the theatrical experience of the grand epic is an eye-opening and surreal experience for the public. 

Overall, these are the following key facts about Dussehra and how it is celebrated all over the county of India. There are many observations one can notice on the festival and celebration method varies from one place to another. Therefore, Dussehra is a time for celebration, a time for victory of good over bad, a time when the world sees the example of the power of good. Let us continue the same true spirit and enjoy the Dussehra holiday.

Interesting facts about Dussehra

• Dussehra comes from the Sanskrit word Dash Hara, which translates to ‘the defeat of the Sun’ in English. According to Hindu scriptures, if Lord Rama had not defeated Ravana, the Sun would have never risen again.
• Dussehra is celebrated in Ashwin, the 10^th month of the Hindu Calendar. It falls sometime around October or November.
• 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