Dussehra - Victory of Good over Evil
Come September and an intangible bubbling excitement begins
to charge the Indian air. Folks go about their daily chores
as usual. The first big festival of the
season celebrated by all Hindus of India on the tenth day
after Navratri (September or October) is Dussehra
/ Vijay dashmi . Dussehra is celebrated as the
day of Rama's victory over king Ravana, the 10-headed demon
king of Lanka who had abducted Rama’s wife, Sita.
The
Dussehra festival celebration is unique in its
perspective and significance. Is the celebration of the
Victory of Good over Evil.
On the day of Dussehra / Vijay dashmi,
Ram, killed the great demon Ravan, who had abducted Ram's
wife Sita to his kingdom of Lanka . Rama, who was a devout
believer of Durga, the Goddess of War, prayed to her for
the first nine days of battle and killed the evil Ravana
on the 10th day along, with his brother Lakshman follower
Hanuman, and an army of monkeys fought a great battle to
rescue his lovely wife Sita. He shot Ravana with
a bow that pierced his navel. Out flowed the nectar
of immortality that was stored in a pot in his navel, thus
destroying his invincibility. Sita had been returned to
her husband Ram and they now make their way to Ayodhya in
triumph and glory. Thus, it is on the Diwali day that Lord
Ram, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the Treta Yug, returned
to his capital Ayodhya after the exile of fourteen Years.
Consequently,
to commemorate the return of Ram, Sita and Lakshman to Ayodhya,
people celebrate Diwali with the bursting of crackers and
by lighting up their houses with earthen diyas. This grand
style of celebration have continued, year after year. To
this day, the whole of Ramayana is enacted in dramas staged
in huge pandals and maidans, in cities, towns and villages,
on the occasion of Dussehra and Diwali.
Rama also slew Ravana’s brother Kumbhkarna (more
famous for maintaining a lifestyle worthy of a record in
the Guinness Book – he hibernated for six months at a stretch
each year!). Lakshmana killed Ravana’s son, Meghnath. And
Dussehra is the festival that commemorates this triumph
of Good over Evil. To this day Rama Lila (the enactment
of the Ramayana, or literally the saga of Rama) is staged
in towns and villages across the length and breadth of the
country.
Another
legend that is linked to Dussehra is that of the Goddess
Durga slaying the buffalo-demon, Mahishasura. According
to popular mythology, the gods were compelled to
grant Mahishasura indomitable powers for his unparalleled
meditation. As expected, the omnipotent buffalo-demon Mahishasura
raised hell at the gates of heaven, astounding the gods
with his mammoth dominion. The infuriated gods then created
Durga. It is believed that Durga was actualised by the combined
effort of all deities. Durga possesses a weapon of each
god and is said to be more powerful than all of them put
together.
In ancient times kings used the feast of Dussehra
to cross the frontier and fight against their neighbouring
kingdoms. This border crossing is known as "seema ollanghan".
Dussehra marked the beginning of the war season. This was
also the day to worship the weapons. According to legend,
Pandav went to dwell in the forest. On the way he hid his
weapons in the hole of a "shami" tree. After one year he
returned from the forest and on Dussehra day he took again
his weapons and worshipped the shami tree and the weapons.
Hence the custom of worshipping weapons on this feast started.
The
highlight of Dussehra is Ram Lila. It is enacted
for 10 days to mark the 10-day battle fought between Rama
and Ravana. Ram Lila is generally held in large open grounds
that come alive with brightly-lit stalls, rickety giant
wheels that might fall apart any minute but never do, merry-go-rounds,
brightly-painted manually run mini giant wheels with bucket
seats for children. All this is very reminiscent of a country
fair.
Ram Lila is generally held in the evenings, and year after
year, people flock in huge numbers to watch the saga unfold,
yet once again. In ancient times when it was considered
demeaning for women to go up on stage, men performed the
female roles. This still happens in most parts of India.
Needless to say, the most effeminate and ‘beautiful’ boy
is handpicked to enact the role of Sita.
After the Ram Lila and the burning of the
effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnath (right down
to their curly moustaches), the stars of the night – Rama,
Sita and Lakshmana are taken around in a huge chariot. Crowds
of people shouting Jai Shri Ram (Victory to Rama) join the
procession.
Dussehra marks the beginning of the pleasant
winter season after the searing heat of summer. Dussehra
is celebrated with pomp and pageantry reminiscent of medieval
times. Almost every part of the country has its own specific
way of celebrating the victory of good over evil.
Article by Malini Gupta
