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Festival Season With the navratras (nine days festival season) of September, India’s winter festival season starts. During these nine days Indians worship their gods and goddesses according to their regional rituals. Though there is a great difference the way in which these nine days are celebrated in different stated but this festival is celebrated all over India. West Bengal’s Durga (goddess of war) Pooja is world famous. The tenth day is celebrated as Vijay Dashmi or Dussehra (Victory Day). According to the Hindu beliefs, on this day Lord Rama had killed the demon king Ravana and had scored victory over the demons. It is believed that Ravana had abducted Rama’s wife, Sita.

Beliefs According to the Hindu mythology Ravana was a 10-headed demon king. Lord Rama along with his brother Lakshmana, follower Hanuman and army of monkeys had fought a war for ten days against Ravana and had won it on the tenth day with the death of Ravana. It is believed that Lord Rama shot an arrow in Ravana’s navel which pierced through the pot containing nectar of immortality that had been stored in his navel. After it Ravana had died and Rama was united with his wife. After the 20 days of Dussehra, Diwali is celebrated which marks the day, Lord Rama had reached his kingdom, Ayodhaya.

Dussehra During these ten days Ramleelas (stage plays) are organized in all over India almost in every village and towns. Plays are enacted to mark the 10 day battle between Lord Rama and Ravana. Ramleelas end on the tenth day. On this day, huge effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkarna and Meghnath are burnt in large open grounds in the evening. People throng to see the Ravan Dahan (burning of effigy of Ravana) in large numbers. Dussehra also marks the beginning of winter season in the country.

Durga Pooja Lord Rama was a worshiper of Goddess Durga. Durga represents the divine power called Durga or Shakti. Duga also represents feminist power. She is also known with many other names as Ambika, Shiv-Shakti, Parvati etc. During the navratras people visit religious places and Durga is especially worshiped during these days. Especially Durga Pooja is the popular festival of north-eastern states.

This year’s Dussehra will be celebrated on September 9.