Dussehra the grandest and sacred Hindu festival celebrated in India. The ambiance during the Dussehra festival becomes joyous, delightful, and propitious. People from every religion sojourn in a festive mood and also takes a part in the solemn celebration of Dussehra.
Therefore, the Dussehra festival celebrated all over the Indian subcontinent by different festival names.
In Maharastra, the festival is called Dussehra and considered to be the most important festival in the region. In villages, people cross the village boundaries to visit the Goddess temple to get blessings. The ritual is termed ‘Simollaghan’. The Kathmulli and Shami leaves are being offered to the goddess. These leaves are considered as the symbol of gold and exchanged between each other by believers. They think the leaves will bring prosperity to them.
On this auspicious day, people buy new materials and cars and worship them.
In West Bengal, the festival is known as the mighty Durga puja. This sumptuous celebration occurs in October (Bengali month Ashwin). Durga puja is celebrated for 5 days (Panchami, Shasthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, and Dashami) and starts with Mahalaya (5days before the festival starts). Durga puja is the celebration of the victory of winning the battle against Mahisasura by Goddess Durga.
It is told that Goddess Durga comes to her maternal house during this time with her kids- Ganesha, Laxmi, Kartikeya, and Saraswati. Enthusiast people roam around and do pandal hopping to vibrant and themed pandals wearing new clothes. On the day of Vijayadashami, the married Bengali women play with vermilion. This act named ‘Sindoor Khela’. In the end, the statue of Goddess Durga along with her Kids statues immersed in the holy Ganges.
In Mysore, people celebrate the traditional Dussehra festival for the past 400 years. People glorify the Goddess Chamundeshwari for the victory over Mahisasura. The festival prevails for 10 days. During Dussehra, a march of decorative elephants held, and the popular Mysuru palace is decorated with one-lakh clay lamps.
Varanasi is the oldest city in India, where Dussehra celebrates traditionally. Here a special performance of Ramleela held, which people from around the country come to see.
Also, in Kullu of Himachal Pradesh, celebrates Dussehra differently. Here, Dussehra commences in Vijayadashami and observed for 7 days. Local residents worship God Jagannath along with other local deities and perform procession in the Dhalapur field. The festival ends by burning a pile of wood and grass as a symbol of Ravan’s Lanka’s affliction in Ramayana.
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