In Hinduism, Durga (Sanskrit: दुर्गा) meaning "the inaccessible"[1] or "the invincible"; Bengali:দুর্গা, durga) or Maa Durga (Bengali: মা দুর্গা, mā durgā, meaning "Mother Durga") "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress"[citation needed] is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having ten arms, riding a lion or a tiger, carrying weapons and alotus flower, maintaining a meditative smile, and practicing mudras, or symbolic hand gestures.[citation needed] The name is made of Sanskrit dur- = "with difficulty" (compare Greek δυσ- (dys-)) and gā ("come", "go").
An embodiment of creative feminine force (Shakti), Durga exists in a state of svātantrya(independence from the universe and anything/anybody else, i.e., self-sufficiency) and fierce compassion. Kali is considered by Hindus to be an aspect of Durga. She is thus considered the fiercer, demon-fighting form of Shiva's wife, goddess Parvati. Durga manifests fearlessness and patience, and never loses her sense of humor, even during spiritual battles of epic proportion.[citation needed]
At the Durga Puja festival, Durga is shown as the mother of Ganesha, Kartikeya, Lakshmiand Saraswati.[2]
| Durga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Goddess of Victory of Good over Evil | |
| Devanagari | दुर्गा |
| SanskritTransliteration | Durgā |
| Bengali | দুর্গা |
| Affiliation | Avatar of Devi |
| Abode | Kailash |
| Mantra | Om Dum Durgayei Namaha Om Aing Hring Kling Chamundayei Vichche |
| Weapon | Trishula (trident), Chakram, Scimitar, Snake, Conch shell, Mace, Bow, Talwar (longsword), lotus, Thunderbolt |
| Mount | Dawon (tiger or lion) |
History
The word Shakti means divine feminine; energy/force/power, and Durga is the warrior aspect of the Divine Mother. Other incarnations include Annapurna and Karuɳamayi (karuɳa = kindness). Durga's darker aspect Kali is represented as the consort of the god Shiva, on whose body she is often seen standing.
As a goddess, Durga's feminine power contains the energies of the gods. Each of her weapons was given to her by various gods: Rudra's trident, Vishnu's discus, Indra's thunderbolt, Brahma's kamandalu, Kuber's Ratnahar, etc.
According to a narrative in the Devi Mahatmya story of the Markandeya Purana text, Durga was created as a warrior goddess to fight an asura (an inhuman force/demon) namedMahishasura. He had unleashed a reign of terror on earth, heaven and the nether worlds, and he could not be defeated by any man or god, anywhere. The gods went to Brahma, who had given Mahishasura the power not to be defeated by a man. Brahma could do nothing. They made Brahma their leader and went to Vaikuntha—the place where Vishnu lay onAnanta Naag. They found both Vishnu and Shiva, and Brahma eloquently related the reign of terror Mahishasur had unleashed on the three worlds. Hearing this Vishnu, Shiva and all of the gods became very angry and beams of fierce light emerged from their bodies. The blinding sea of light met at the Ashram of a priest named Katyayan and Durga emerged from this pool of light. The goddess Durga took the name Katyaayani from the priest and emerged from the sea of light. She introduced herself in the language of the Rig-Veda, saying she was the form of the supreme Brahman who had created all the gods. Now she had come to fight the demon to save the gods. They did not create her; it was her lila that she emerged from their combined energy. The gods were blessed with her compassion.
It is said that upon initially encountering Durga, Mahishasura underestimated her, thinking: "How can a woman kill me, Mahishasur—the one who has defeated the trinity of gods?". However, Durga roared with laughter, which caused an earthquake which made Mahishasur aware of her powers.
And the terrible Mahishasura rampaged against her, changing forms many times. First he was a buffalo demon, and she defeated him with her sword. Then he changed forms and became an elephant that tied up the goddess's lion and began to pull it towards him. The goddess cut off his trunk with her sword. The demon Mahishasur continued his terrorizing, taking the form of a lion, and then the form of a man, but both of them were gracefully slain by Durga.
Then Mahishasur began attacking once more, starting to take the form of a buffalo again. The patient goddess became very angry, and proclaimed to Mahishasur in a colorful tone—"Roar with delight while you still can, O illiterate demon, because when I will kill you, the gods themselves will roar with delight".[cite this quote] When Mahishasur had half emerged into his buffalo form, he was paralyzed by the extreme light emitting from the goddess's body. The goddess then resounded with laughter before cutting Mahishasur's head down with her sword.
Thus Durga slew Mahishasur, thus is the power of the fierce compassion of Durga. Hence, Mata Durga is also known as Mahishasurmardhini—the slayer of Mahishasur. According to one legend, the goddess Durga created an army to fight against the forces of the demon-king Mahishasur, who was terrorizing Heaven and Earth. After ten days of fighting, Durga and her army defeated Mahishasur and killed him. As a reward for their service, Durga bestowed upon her army the knowledge of jewelry-making. Ever since, the Sonara community has been involved in the jewelry profession.[3]
The goddess, as Mahisasuramardhini, appears quite early in Indian art. The Archaeological Museum in Matura has several statues on display including a 6-armed Kushana period Mahisasuramardhini that depicts her pressing down the buffalo with her lower hands.[4] A Nagar plaque from the first century BC - first century AD depicts a 4-armed Mahisamardhini accompanied by a lion. But it is in the Gupta period that we see the finest representations of Mahisasuramardhini (2-, 4-, 6-, and at Udayagiri, 12-armed). The spear and trident are her most common weapons. A Mamallapuram relief shows the goddess with 8 arms riding her lion subduing a buffalo-faced demon (as contrasted with a buffalo demon); a variation also seen at Ellora. In later sculptures (post-seventh Century), sculptures show the goddess having decapitated the buffalo demon.
[edit]Worship
The four day long (Saptami to Dashami) Durga Puja is the biggest annual festival in Bengal, Assam,Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Nepal, where it is known as Dashain. It is celebrated likewise with much fervour in various parts of India, especially the Himalayan region, but is celebrated in various forms throughout the Hindu universe.
The day of Durga's victory is celebrated as Vijayadashami (Bihar, Bengali), Dashain (Nepali) orDussehra (Hindi) - these words literally mean "the Victory Tenth" (day).[5]
In Kashmir she is worshipped as shaarika (the main temple is in Hari Parbat in Srinagar).
The actual period of the worship however may be on the preceding nine days (Navaratri) followed by the last day called Vijayadashami in North India or five days in Bengal (from the sixth to tenth day of the waxing-moon fortnight). Nine aspects of Durga known as Navadurga are meditated upon, one by one during the nine-day festival by devout Shakti worshippers. In South India especially Andhra Pradesh Dussera Navaratri is also celebrated and the goddess is dressed each day as a different devi like Sraswati, Parvati, Laksmi etc. for the nine days.
In North India, the tenth day, signifying Rama's victory in his battle against the demon Ravana, is celebrated as Dussehra - gigantic straw effigies of Ravana are burnt in designated open spaces (e.g.Delhi's Ram Lila grounds), watched by thousands of families and little children.
In Mysore Karnataka, she is worshipped as Chamundeshwari, the patron goddess of the city during Dussehra
In Gujarat it is celebrated as the last day of Navaratri, during which the Garba dance is performed to celebrate the vigorous victory of Mahishasura-mardini Durga.
The Goddess Durga is worshipped in her peaceful form as Maha Gauri, The Fair Lady, ShreeShantadurga also known as santeri, is the patron Goddess of Goa. She is worshipped by all Goan Hindus.
In Maharashtra, Tulja Bhavani and Ambabai is worshipped as Mahishasur Mardini and is patron goddess of land. Bhavani is known as Tulaja, Amba, Renuka, Yamai, Saptshrungi, Jogai in different places of Maharashtra. She is inspirational goddess of Raja shivaji. As per legends, Bhavani revealed to Shivaji and blessed him to form a kingdom.
[edit]Mahishasuramardini Stotra
Mahishasuramardini Stotra[6]
ayi girina.ndini na.nditamedini vishvavinodini na.ndanute girivara vi.ndhya shirodhinivaasini vishhNuvilaasini jishhNunute bhagavati he shitikaNThakuTuMbini bhuuri kuTuMbini bhuuri kRite jaya jaya he mahishhaasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute | O daughter of the mountain, who makes the whole earth happy, who makes the whole universe rejoice, praised by Nandin dwelling on the peak of the great Vindhya mountain, glittering widely, praised by those desirous of victory O Goddess, wife of the blue necked Siva, One who has many families, One who has done a lot, be victorious, be victorious, O destroyer of the demon mahisa, with beautiful braids of hair, daughter of the mountain Himalaya | ||
suravaravarshhiNi durdharadharshhiNi durmukhamarshhiNi harshharate tribhuvanaposhhiNi sha.nkaratoshhiNi kilbishhamoshhiNi ghoshharate danuja niroshhiNi ditisuta roshhiNi durmada shoshhiNi sindhusute jaya jaya he mahishhaasuramardini ramyakapardini shailasute | O bestower of boons on Gods, One who assails those hard to control, who tolerates those with ugly faces (?), one engrossed in rejoicing One who nourishes the three worlds, One who pleases sankara, One who removes sins, One who engrosses in sound of Om (?) One who is angry with the progeny of Danu (demon), One who is angry with the sons of Diti (also demon), One who destroys those with evil intoxication of pride, daughter of the ocean |
[edit]Notable temples in India and Indonesia
- Durgamba Temple, Haigunda, Uttara Kannada District, Karnataka, India - Temple dates back to more than 2000 years
- Ambabai Temple, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.
- Official Website of Kanaka Durgamma Temple
- Ammathiruvadi Temple, Thrissur, Kerala, India
- Matrimandir in the city of Auroville near Pondicherry
- Maa Bamleshwari temple at dongargarh, Chattisgaarh.
- Ambika Mata Temple in the village of Jagat near Mount Abu in Rajasthan, India.
- Ambaji Temple in Banaskatha district near Gujarat and Rajasthan, India
- Kulanjari Mata Temple in the village of Mau Chirayal, village of Pundhir near Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, India.
- Bhairabi Devalaya, in Tezpur, Assam
- Kalighat Temple, Kolkata.
- Kateel Durgaparameshwari temple, in Mangalore, Karnataka
- Kalka Mandir, near Nehru Place, New Delhi.
- Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati, Assam
- Biraja Temple, Jajpur, Orissa
- Katak Chandi Temple, Cuttack, Orissa
- Kanaka Durga Temple, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh
- Shanta Durga temple in Goa
- Shila Devi temple at Amber Jaipur Rajasthan
- Shitla Mata temple at Patna Bihar
- Vindhyachal temple near Varanasi
- Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu & Kasmir
- Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysore Karnataka
- Prambanan Temple - Indonesia
- Tulja Bhavani Temple - in Tuljapur, Maharashtra, India
- Amaramkavu Devi Temple, in Kolani, near Thodupuzha, Kerala, India
- Chamunda devi temple in Brasil
- Vaishno Devi mandir in Katra(Jammu)
- Bappanadu Sri Durga Parameshwari temple, in Mulki, Manglore, Karnataka
- Dhakeshwari Temple in Dhaka, Bangladesh
VijayDashmi Dashara
Vijayadashami is a festival celebrated in various forms across India, Bangladesh and Nepal. It is also called Dasara, Dashahara, Navaratri and Durgotsav (Marathi: विजयादशमी, Bengali: বিজয়াদশমী, Oriya :ବିଜୟାଦଶମୀ, Kannada: ವಿಜಯದಶಮಿ, Malayalam: വിജയദശമി, Nepali :विजया दशमी, Tamil: விஜயதசமி, Telugu: విజయదశమి). It is also known as Dasara (also writtenDussehra) Bengali: দশেরা, Kannada: ದಸರ, Malayalam: ദസറ, konkani: दसरो , Marathi: दसरा,Oriya:ଦଶହରା, Telugu: దసరా)(Punjabi: ਦਸੇਰਾ) and Dashain in Nepali.
Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of the Hindu autumn lunar month of Ashvin, or Ashwayuja which falls in September or October of the Western calendar, from the Shukla Paksha Pratipada, or the day after the new moon which falls in Bhadrapada, to the Dashami, or the tenth day of Ashvin. It is the culmination of the 10-day annual Navaratri (Sanskrit: नवरात्रि, 'nine nights') festival. It is the largest festival in Nepal, and celebrated by Hindu and non-Hindu Nepalis.
In India, the harvest season begins at this time and so the Mother Goddess is invoked to start the new harvest season and reactivate the vigor and fertility of the soil. This is done through religious performances and rituals which are thought to invoke cosmic forces that rejuvenate the soil. In Bangladesh it is a five day long festival and is celebrated in mandaps (congregation).The largest festival is held at Dhakeshwari temple and Ramkrishna missionary in Dhaka. On the day of Dasha-Hara, clay statues of the Goddess Durga are submerged in rivers. The pooja is performed with turmeric and other pooja items, which are added to the river in order to help the water yield better crops.
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Hindawi (Hindu) Swarajya - Maratha Empire worshipped Lord Shiva and the goddess Durga in her Bhawani form before engaging in military expeditions. Dasha-Hara is the festival of Victory of Good over Evil. Buses, trucks and machines in factories are decorated. Dasha-Hara is also Vishwakarma Divas - the National Labor Day of India. Veda Vyasa is considered the foremost guru and Vijayadashami is also celebrated as Vyasa puja. Shastra pooja, or the worship of the weapon Shastra/Astra used by Goddess Durga, are worshipped on this day.
Victory of Prabhu Ramachandra over Ravana
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On this day in the Treta Yug, Rama, also called Shri Ram, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, killed the great demon Ravana who had abducted Rama's wife Sita to his kingdom of Lanka. Rama, his brotherLakshman, their follower Hanuman and an army of monkeys fought a great battle to rescue Sita. The entire narrative is recorded in the epic Ramayana, a Hindu scripture.
Rama had performed "Chandi Homa" and invoked the blessings of Durga, who blessed Rama with secret knowledge of the way to kill Ravana. On the day of Ashvin Shukla Dashami, Rama's party found Sita and defeated Ravana. Based on the inferences from Balmik’s Ramayana, Kalidas’s Raghuvans, Tulsidas’s Ram Charit manas, and Keshavdas’s Ram Chandra Yas Chandrika as well as common perception in India, Ram, Sita, and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya on the 30th day of Ashvin (19–20 days after Vijay Dashmi). To mark the return of Lord Ram, in the evening, the residents of Ayodhya lighted their city with millions of earthen lamps (called Deepak). Since then, this day is celebrated in India as Deepawali or Diwali.
During the ten days of Dasha-Hara, effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and son Meghanad are erected and burnt by enthusiastic youths at sunset.
After Dasha-Hara, the hot summer ends, especially in North India. The coming cold weather is believed to encourage infections. The burning of the effigies, filled with firecrackers containing phosphorus, supposedly purifies the atmosphere, while the temples perform Chandi Homa or Durga Homa, with the same intent.
Many people perform Aditya Homa as a Shanti Yagna and recite Sundara Kanda of Srimad Ramayana for nine days. These Yagna performances are thought to create powerful agents in the atmosphere surrounding the house that will keep the household environment clean and healthy. These rituals are intended to rid the household of the ten bad qualities, which are represented by ten heads of Ravana as follows:
- Kama vasana (Lust)
- Krodha (Anger)
- Moha (delusion)
- Lobha (Greed)
- Mada (Over Pride)
- Matsara (Jealousy)
- Manas (Mind)
- Buddhi (Intellect)
- Chitta (will)
- Ahankara (Ego).
Some householders perform Yagnas thrice daily along with Sandhya Vandana, which is also called Aahavaneeya Agni, Grahapatya Agni or Dakshina Agni. In addition, the Aditya Homa is performed with the Maha Surya Mantras and the Aruna Prapathaka of the Yajurveda. These mantras are believed to keep the heart, brain and digestive functions in balance in the absence of adequate sunlight in the winter months.
[edit]Victory of Durga Mata over Mahishasur
Some of the demons, or Asuras, were very powerful and ambitious and continually tried to defeat the Devas, or Gods , and capture Heaven. One Asura, Mahishasur, in the form of a buffalo, grew very powerful and created havoc on the earth. Under his leadership, the Asuras defeated the Devas. The world was crushed under Mahishasura's tyranny, the Devas joined their energies into Shakti, a single mass of incandescent energy, to kill Mahishasur.
A very powerful band of lightning emerged from the mouths of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and a young, beautiful female virgin with ten hands appeared. All the Gods gave their special weapons to her. This Shakti coalesced to form the goddess Durga. Riding on a lion, who assisted her, Durga fought Mahishasur. The battle raged for nine days and nights. Finally on the tenth day of Ashvin shukla paksha, Mahishasur was defeated and killed by Durga.
Hence Dasha-Hara is also known as Navaratra or Durgotsava and is a celebration of Durga's victory. Durga, as Consort of Lord Shiva, represents two forms of female energy - one mild and protective and the other fierce and destructive.
[edit]Homecoming of Durga Mata
Daksha, the Lord of the Earth, and his wife Menaka, had a daughter called Sati. As a child, Sati started worshipping Lord Shiva as her would-be-husband. Lord Shiva was pleased with the Sati's worship of him and married her. Daksha was against their marriage but could not prevent it. Daksha arranged a yagna to which everyone except Lord Shiva was invited. Sati, feeling ashamed of her father's behaviour and shocked by the attitude meted towards her husband, killed herself. Lord Shiva was anguished when he discovered this. He lifted Sati's body on his shoulders and started dancing madly. With the supreme power dancing with wrath, the World was on the verge of destruction.
Then Lord Narayana came forward as a saviour and used his Chakra to cut Sati's body into pieces. Those pieces fell from the shoulders of the dancing Shiva and scattered throughout the world. Shiva was pacified when the last piece fell from his shoulder. Lord Narayana revived Sati. The places where the pieces of Sati fell are known as the Shakti Piths or energy pits. Kalighat in Kolkata, Kamakshya near Guwahati and Vaishnav Devi in Jammu are three of these places.
In her next birth, Sati was born as Parvati or Shaila-Putri (First form of Durga), the daughter of Himalaya. Lord Narayana asked Shiva to forgive Daksha. Ever since peace was restored, Durga, with her children Saraswati, Lakshmi, Kartikeya, Ganesh and her two `sakhis` - Jaya and Vijaya - visit her parents each year during the season of `Sharatkal` or autumn when Durga-Puja is celebrated.
[edit]End of Agnyatwas of Pandava
In the age of Dwapar Yuga, Pandava - the five acknowledged sons of Pandu (Sanskrit: पांडु), by his two wives Kunti and Madri - lost toKauravas in a game of dice, and both spent twelve years of Vanawas, or exile to the forest, followed by one year of Agnyatawas. The brothers hid their weapons in a hole in a Shami tree before entering the Kingdom of Virat to complete the final year of Agnyatwas. After that year, on Vijayadashmi, they recovered the weapons, declared their true identities and defeated Kauravas, who had attacked King Virat to steal his cattle. Since that day, Shami trees and weapons have been worshipped and the exchange of Shami leaves on Vijayadashmi has been a symbol of good will and victory.
[edit]Kautsa's Gurudakshina
Kautsa, the young son of a Brahmin called Devdatt, lived in the city of Paithan. After completing his education with Rishi Varatantu, he insisted on his guru accepting Guru Dakshina, a present. The guru said, "Kautsa, to give 'dakshina' in return for learning wisdom is not proper. Graduation of the disciple makes the guru happy, and this is the real Guru Dakshina."
Kautsa was not satisfied. He still felt it was his duty to give his guru something. The guru said, "All right, if you insist on giving me dakshina, so give me 140 million gold coins, 10 million for each of the 14 sciences I have taught you."
Kautsa went to King Raghu. Raghuraja was an ancestor of Lord Rama, famous for his generosity. But just at that time he had spent all his money on the Brahmins, after performing the Vishvajit sacrifice. King Raghu asked Kautsa to return three days. Raghuraja immediately left to get the gold coins from Indra. Indra summoned Kuber, the god of wealth. Indra told Kuber, "Make a rain of gold coins fall on the "Shanu" and "Aapati" trees round Raghuraja's city of Ayodhya."
The rain of gold coins began to fall. King Raghu gave all the coins to Kautsa, and Kautsa hastened to offer the coins to Varatantu Rishi. Guru had asked only 140 millions, so he gave the rest back to Kautsa. Kautsa was not interested in money, considering honour to be more valuable than wealth. He asked the king to take the remaining gold coins back. But the king refused, as kings do not take back the daan (gift).
Finally Kautsa distributed the gold coins to the people of Ayodhya on the day of Ashvin shukla dashami. In remembrance of this event, there has been a custom of looting the leaves of the Aapati trees, and people present these leaves to one another as gold.
[edit]Simollanghan – crossing the border - War Season
In ancient times kings used the feast of Dasha-Hara to cross the frontier and fight against their neighbouring kingdoms. This border crossing is known as "simollanghan". Thus Dasha-Hara also marks the beginning of the war season.
[edit]Dashain (दशैं) in Nepal
Vijayadashami (विजया दशमी) is the biggest festival of the year in Nepal that falls in September/October. The 10th day of Dashain is Vijaya Dashami, on which elders put Tika and Jamara on the forehead of younger members of the family. Jamara is sown on the first day of the festival which becomes greenish yellow of about 10–20 cm length which represent symbol of victory. Some ethnic groups receive Tika and Jamara only on the 10th day whereas others continue to receive until the following full moon. Depending upon the relationship, people offer 'Dakshina' after receiving the Tika and Jamara. On the eighth day of the festival, people offer sacrifice of goats, buffalo, chicken etc. to goddess Durga. Meat is heavily consumed after the sacrifice taken as the gift of god. People visit their relatives and exchange greetings throughout the 15 days of the festival. Temples of goddess Durga are crowded throughout the days of the festival in different parts of the country. For many people and specially children, buying of new clothes bears special importance. Since the expenditure during the days of the festival is significant, many poor people find it difficult to manage. Nepal observes the longest holidays of the year and highest mobility of the people during these days as people visit their relatives. In the past, until the fall of Monarchism in 2008, the only Hindu Monarch on the Planet, the King of Nepal, used to put tika on the foreheads of the people.
[edit]Dasha-Hara in different parts of India
In Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, it is traditional to plant barley seeds in earthen pots on the first day of Navrathri. On the day of Dussehra, the nine-day old sprouts (called noratras or nortas) are used as symbols of luck. Men place them in their caps or behind their ears.
In most of northern India and some parts of Maharashtra, Dasha-Hara is celebrated more in honour of Rama. During these 10 days many plays and dramas based on Ramayana are performed. These are called Ramlila.
In the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, the Dasshera festival starts with the performance of Ramlila which is itself unique as it is based on the musical rendering of the katha or story of Lord Ram based on the theatrical traditions set by Uday Shankar while on his stay in Almora these traditions were further enriched by Mohan Upreti and Brijendra Lal Sah. Known as the Almora or Kumaon style, Ramlila has been recognised by UNESCO in its 2008 report as one of the representative styles of Ramlila in India.[1]
[edit]Mysore
Main article: Mysore Dasara
The legend associated with the Shami tree finds commemoration during the renowned Navaratri celebrations at Mysore. The Mysore celebrations also strongly emphasize the Durga legend described above, as may be expected in the city built at the very site of the events of the Durgalegend. On Vijaydashami day, at the culmination of a colourful 10-day celebration, the goddessChamundeshwari is worshipped and then borne in a grand procession on a Golden Ambari or elephant-mounted throne through the city of Mysore, from the historical Mysore Palace to the Banni Mantapa. Banni is the Kannada word for the Sanskrit Shami, and Mantapa means "Pavilion".
[edit]Karnataka
In Karnataka, Ayudha Puja, the ninth day of Dasha-Hara, is celebrated with the worship of implements used in daily life such as computers, books, vehicles, or kitchen tools. This ritual is also followed in Maharashtra.
The effort to see the divine in the tools and objects one uses in daily life is central to this celebration, so it includes all tools that help one earn one's livelihood. Knowledge workers go for books, pen or computers, farmers the plough and other agricultural tools, machinery for industrialists and cars/buses/trucks for the transportation workers—all are decorated with flowers and worshipped on this day invoking God's blessing for success in coming years. It is believed that any new venture such as starting of business or purchasing of new household items on this day is bound to succeed.
[edit]Orissa
Vijoya Dashami or Dussehra is celebrated as Durga Puja in two different ways in Orissa. In Shakti Peethas or temples of the goddesses, the Durga Puja is observed with rituals for a period of 10 to 16 days, known as Shodasa Upachara. The goddess Durga is also worshipped by devotees in different pendals throughout the state. The pendals are beautifully decorated. The last day of theSharodiya Durga Puja is known as Vijaya Dashami. After the last ritual Aparajita Puja is offered to the goddess, a tearful farewell is offered to her. The women offer Dahi-Pakhal (cooked rice soaked in water, with curd), Pitha (baked cakes), Mitha (sweets) and fried fish to the Goddess. Most of the community pujas postpone the farewell as long as possible and arrange a grand send-off. The images are carried in processions known as Bhasani Jatra or Bisarjan Jatra around the locale and finally are immersed in a nearby river or lake. After the immersion of the deity, people across the state celebrate "Ravan Podi" in which they burn an effigy of the demon Ravan.
[edit]Andhra Pradesh
Vijaya Dashami has great importance in the Telugu household. For life events such as starting a business, or buying a new home or vehicle, rituals take place on this auspicious day. They perform Ayudha Puja where they sanctify vehicles and other new items. In the evenings, a procession is taken up in all major cities where people dress up as characters from the Ramayana and perform stage shows. Huge effigies of Ravana and Kumbhakarna are burned, signifying victory of Lord Rama.
People believe this to be an auspicious day for anyone starting a new venture, bringing victory. In the Telangana region, younger family members usually pay respects to their elders by giving them leaves of Jammi tree, and seeking their blessings.
This festival is celebrated in all temples of Durga. Shodasa Upacharam is offered to her. During Navratri ("nine nights"), Goddess Durga is decorated in her different aspects like Bala Tripura Sundari, Mahishasura-Mardhini, Annapoorna, Kali, Raja Rajeshwari, Kanaka Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati and Gayatri Devi. On the river banks of Krishna at Vijayawada, at an age-old temple of "Sri Durga Malleswar Swami" on a hill called "Indra-Kila-Adri", Dushera Navaratri is celebrated every year with great pomp and tens of thousands of people visit this temple during this time. These celebrations are concluded on the tenth day of "Vijaya Dashami", which is usually a national holiday. In Vijayawada on Vijayadashami day, "Teppa Utsavam", in which Durga's image is placed on a big boat decorated with flowers and lights, is celebrated in the evening of Vijaya Dashami day. People of Andhra Pradesh wish to start new ventures on Vijaya Dashami day, with a belief that it will be successful.
[edit]Madikeri
In Madikeri, Dasha-Hara is celebrated in a different style. Madikeri Dasara has a history of over 100 years. Dasha-Hara begins with Kargas from four Mariamma Temples. There is a procession of 10 Mantapas from 10 Temples on the night of Vijayadashami.
At night, effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghanada are stuffed with firecrackers and set alight. Children especially enjoy seeing this because of the beautiful fireworks. The festival, which is thought of as the "Victory of Good over Evil" and "Return of Rama from Exile" is celebrated in grand style. Because the day is auspicious, people inaugurate new vehicles, machines, books, weapons and tools by ceremonially asking god to bless the new items.
[edit]Maharashtra
In Maharashtra, the festival is celebrated on the tenth day of the month of Ashvin, which falls in October according to the Shaka Hindu Calendar. This is one of the 3 and a half days in the Hindu Lunar calendar every moment of which is considered auspicious. On this, Dasha-Hara day, the deities installed on the first day of the Navratri are immersed in water. This day also marks the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana. People visit each other and exchange sweets. On this day, people worship the Aapta tree (Bauhinia variegata) and exchange its leaves (known as golden leaves) as symbol of gold and wish each other a bright prosperous future. The tradition of exchanging aapta leaves refers to Raghuraja, an ancestor of Ramachandra and Kubera. Similar to Ayudh puja in Karnataka, many groups and communities, largely the artisan castes, celebrate the day before Dasha-Hara as Khande navmi when tools of all kinds are given rest and ritually worshipped. In Maharashtra, people also ritually cross the border of their community, in a ceremony known as Seemollanghan, which has its roots in the idea that this day is an auspicious one on which to start ventures,
[edit]Bengal
In Bengal, Dussehra is celebrated as Durga Puja. Deities of the goddess Durga are worshipped for five days, and on the fifth day (Bijaya Dashami) immersed in a river or pond. In Bengal, Assam and Orissa, the goddess Kali, an appellation of Durga, is also worshipped as a symbol of Shakti (Power).
Special festive meals are cooked on this day.
[edit]Variations across South India
Dussehra is celebrated in various ways in different parts of South India. In Bengal, the festival is celebrated as Durga Puja, while in Tamil Nadu, the festival incorporates worship of the goddesses Lakshmi,Saraswati, and Shakti.
Celebrations can take many forms, ranging from worshipping the goddess Chamundeshwari (Durga) to exhibiting colorful toys on the day of bombe habba in Karnataka.
There is a legend related to the exhibition of toys that is known as "Bombe habba" in Karnataka, "Bommala Koluvu" in Andhra Pradesh and Golu or Kolu in Tamil Nadu. Since the goddess Durga needed tremendous power, all other gods and goddesses transferred their power to her and they all stood still as statues. To respect the self-sacrifice of these deities during the festival days, Hindus revere morities, which are small statues in the shape of particular gods and goddesses.
Dasha-Hara is the festival marking end of Navratri and the immersion[disambiguation needed] of Durgadeities which are worshipped for nine days prior to Dussehra.
Vijayadasami is also the auspicious day for starting their formal education. Students keep their books and workers their tools for puja on the ninth day of Navarathra (Ayutha-Pooja, Saraswathi-Pooja); these are taken back and used after puja on the tenth day (Vijayadasami). The practice is so old that in many parts of south India, even non-Hindus follow this tradition. In 2004, many churches in Kerala formally adopted the same tradition of introducing young children to education on Dussehra day.
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