Indian Festivals : Why we celebrate Dussehra in India?

Why is Dussehra celebrated in India? 

It is an important Hindu festival and auspicious day. Ashwin shuddh Dashami is known as  Vijayadashami or Dussehra. The Navratri of the Goddess is starts from Ashwin Shuddha Pratipada to Navami. It ends on this day.  To kill the demons like  Shumbh, Nishumbh, Raktabij, Mahishasur etc. Durga took the form of Chandi and fought with the demons for nine days.

Durga Mata

On Dashami, she achieved the final victory by killing Mahishasura, so we celebrate this day. According to the Mythology, as soon as the stars appear in the sky on the day of Ashwin Shuddha Dashami, there is a one  moment called as Vijay and the work that is undertaken at that moment is going to be successful. Chaitra Padva (Chaitra Shuddha Pratipada), Akshayya Tritiya (Vaishakh Shuddha Tritiya), Vijayadashami and Diwali Padva (Kartik Shuddha Pratipada) are one of the three and a half special auspicious moments of Hindus.

Geographical Importance

This festival is celebrated with great energy & enthusiasm in India. In North India, idols of Ravana are burnt on this day. The people of Kullu valley celebrate the festival of Raghunath on the day of Dussehra. Raghunatha's Rathyatra, dance, sacrifice etc. Perform rituals. In Maharashtra, on this day, they worship Apta by crossing the boundaries and give its leaves to each other as gold.

Ravan Dahan

On this day worship of Shamichi or Apata tree took place. The idol of Goddess Aparajit is worshiped on the ground near the tree of  Shami. It is said that, to kill Ravana, Lord Rama worshiped tree of Shami on the same day. Arjuna ended his obscurity and worshiped tree of Shami  on the same day and took his weapon again.

In historical times, on this day, the Maratha Sardar went out on a new campaign by crossing the boundaries. Mysore Sansthan's Dussehra festival is famous in India. It is believed that, Chandi killed Mahishasura near Mysore. In Rajasthan too, on this day, Rajput kings used to visit their Guru and worship Shami tree there.

Mythological Story

Many years ago, a sage named Vartantu was there. They have a lot of students coming to study. Students were Growing up by studying. There were no fees at that time. Therefore, students are supposed to give Gurudakshina at the end of education. This sage had a disciple named as 'Kauts'. After completing his education, the Guru allowed him to go home. He asked the sage, 

"What can I give you as Gurudakshina? I will try my best to give you whatever you ask me." 

The sage decided to take the Kautsa test. He asked Kautsa to bring one crore gold coins for each Vidya and 14 crore gold coins for 14 Vidyas.

Kautsa was shocked to hear this. He went to Raghuraja. But the treasure of his kingdom was exhausted because the king had performed the Vishwajit Yadnya at the same time, yet the king asked Kautsa for a period of three days and he decided to attack on Indra. Indra knew Raghuraja's powers. He told Kubera the whole truth. Indra made gold coins of apatya leaves and dropped them in the king's palace like rain.

Taking that gold coin, Kauts went to Vartantu Rishi and requested him to take Gurudakshina. But the sages refused to take back the 14 crore gold coins, so Kautsa placed the coins under the Apta tree and asked the people to loot them. The people worshiped the tree and stole as many coins as they wanted. That day was Dussehra. So from that day onwards, the practice of worshiping the tree and looting gold leaves began.

Agricultural History

Dussehra was initially an agricultural folk festival. Farmers were use to celebrate this festival when the first crop sown in the rainy season. In Navratri, on the day of Ghatsthapana, nine grains are sown on the ground below the Ghatakhala and on the day of Dussehra, the sprouted sprouts of those grains are uprooted and flowed to God. 

Ghatsthapana in Maharashtra

In many places, rice husk are cut from the fields and tied like a pylon at the entrance. This practice also expresses the agricultural nature of the festival. At the end of the rainy season, new grain comes into the house. Therefore, the farmers also celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm. Later, the festival was given a religious connotation and became a political festival in history

Importance of Dussehra

Worship of books

As this day is auspicious, account books, old books, instruments, weapons etc. We also worship objects on this day. 

Shivaji Maharaj started the festival of Goddess Bhavani at Pratapgad fort on the same day. The importance of this festival was also great among the Peshwas. Bajirao Peshwa was planning to invade on the same day. Many brave, mighty kings were going to attack another king on the same day. Vijayadashami is the day of victory.

I hope you understand that, why we celebrate the Dussehra. It is symbol of victory of truth over false & justice over injustice. I would like to mention one point here, in this modern era instead of burning the idols of Ravana, one should burn their negativity from the mind. All person should learn to respect each other, without any ego. It would be beneficial to society & the nation also. So, on this auspicious day I am wishing you all Happy Dusshera. Enjoy the festival.

Thank you !!!