Dussehra – The Great Festival of Nine Nights
It is festive time around the corner! Yes! Each year the famous festival Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day of Shukla Paksha of Ashwani month which as per the English calendar falls in the month of September or October. This year 2022, Dussehra festivities started on September 26 and it is celebrated for 10 days till October 5.
India as a country is rich with cultures and traditions. Each festival In India is celebrated with its own story and significance. Likewise, this remarkable festival Dussehra is celebrated widely across different states in different manners for different reasons.
In this article, let us see some famous states of India that celebrate Dussehra grandly and the stories behind them.
Places that celebrate Dussehra grandly:
Mysore
Mysore is a destination that celebrates Dussehra joyously. It is celebrated as a 9-day festival, with the festivities starting on day one. The story behind Dussehra is said to be the fight between the Goddess and evil and finally, the goddess emerges victoriously.
Hindus believe that the Goddess Chamundeshwari of Chamundi Hills has defeated Mahishasura, a buffalo-headed asura in a war. And so, people celebrate the day of victory as Dussehra. Actually, The killing of Mahisasura gave the city, Mysore its name.
On these 9 days of festivities, the famous Mysore palace is lit up with 100,000 light bulbs. On the final day of the festival, a procession called the Jumbo Savaari begins from the illuminated palace to Bannimantap. The idol of the Goddess Durga atop a golden seat on the elephant is the major attraction of this procession. After the procession, the torchlight parade also known as the Panjina Kavayath happens which marks the end of the festival.
Hyderabad
Dussehra, also popularly known as Navratri is celebrated with fervor across all temples of Goddess Durga in Hyderabad. During Navratri i.e. nine nights, Goddess Durga is prayed to by the people in her different forms like
Mahishasura Mardhini
Bala Tripura Sundari
Raja Rajeshwari
Annapoorna
Kali
Kanaka Durga
Lakshmi
Saraswati and
Gayatri Devi
The story remains the same across most of south India with Durga killing Mahishasur. The period of Dussehra is some of the busiest days of the city with pujas and processions. The procession includes large bands, dance troupes, armed forces, etc.
The 9th and 10th day of Navaratri, it is called Ayudha pooja and Saraswati Pooja respectively. Ayudha pooja is a day for remembering the tools that help a person in his work. Vijayadashami is the day for studies. Children are made to start their studies usually on this auspicious day.
Uttar Pradesh
There is no better time than to visit when a place is in the throes of festivities, especially the state of Uttar Pradesh. While south India celebrates Navratri as the victory of Lord Durga, the people of North India celebrate it as the day Rama won Ramayana and saved his wife Sita.
Varanasi is the best place in the whole of India to watch the Ramleela skit. At the end of the celebration, Effigy of Ravana, the villain from Ramayana is burnt to the ground, signifying his defeat to Lord Ram. The graceful dance “Garba/Dandiya” is also performed by dancers and people which is a feast for the watchers.
Temples like Mata Longa Wali Devi Temple, Alopidevi temple, Mata Vaishno Devi Bhavan, Vaishno Devi temple, etc, are filled with devotees during Dussehra. It is one of the best times to visit these temples and see them in their full glory.
Kolkata
We can safely say Kolkata is the face of the Dussehra festival without going overboard. Truly, Kolkata is a city that celebrates Dussehra to the fullest. It is known as Durga puja in Kolkata. Unlike others, they celebrate this festival for 5 days. A common sight during these 5 days is the various Idols of Durga made on clay on the processions and people happily dancing around and distributing sweets/Prasadh.
A ceremony called “Bodhan” happens on the first day which means awakening the goddess. It is said that goddesses are asleep during this season of the year and thus Durga puja is a ritual that helps them to awake from their deep slumber. Other rituals like Kalparambha (early morning prayers), Adhivas, and Amantran (Procedure to welcome Maa Durga), etc are also done to get the blessings of the god. Group prayers happen in and around the places of Kolkata for these 5 days. This festival is not just a festival for Kolkata people but it is a part of their emotions.
Tamilnadu
A unique celebration of Navratri happens in Tamilnadu. Navratri is a festival for the goddesses Saraswati, Durga, and Lakshmi that cherishes the presence of such brave deities. The same 9-day concept is followed by the people of Tamilnadu. People decorate their homes on the first day with flowers, rangoli, etc and they keep dolls called Golu. These dolls are kept on a wooden stair that has 9 stairs. Each stair represents a story.
These dolls are seen as a form of gods and goddesses and they are worshiped every evening. Guests come to people having kolu in their homes and do group prayers. After the prayers, guests are sent home with some gifts. The gifts usually include fresh flowers, betel leaf, coconut, comb, and haldi-kumkum. etc
Kerala
Navratri also called the Durgashtami, Mahanavami, and Vijayadashami by the Kerala people is mainly set apart to worship Goddess Saraswati. On the day of Vijayadashami, some traditions are followed in Kerala.
A golden ring is used to write on the child’s tongue with words that represent the name of God. Additionally, with the assistance of adults, the kid is made to write letters on a plate of rice. It is known as Vidyarambham, and its purpose is to acquaint students with the world of knowledge and literature.
Ceremonies are performed in many places across the State to mark the start of this festival. Some of the important destinations that you can visit during Navratri include Panachikkadu Saraswathi Temple in Kottayam and Thunchan Parambu in Malappuram, Attukal Bhagavathy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple in Thrissur and Chottanikkara Devi Temple in Ernakulam.
Final Thoughts
All of us will agree with the fact that the Dussehra festival is a remarkable and colorful festival of the year. If you are a religious person, you need to visit these places and witness the holy processions and receive the blessings of God. The group worshiping and Vedic chants used during the puja are spiritually appealing to every person. Even if you are not a religious person, visiting these places during Dussehra will give you a glimpse of the happiness and joy that people have during festivals.
Dussehra is a festival of nine nights and each night is filled with fun, joy, and prayers. To understand the festival’s significance, you need to visit each of these mentioned places and see the real deal.
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