Time of the year : October-Date Varies Year to Year
Places to visit : All over India
Duration : One day

 Dussehra (spelled many different ways) is one of the major festivals celebrated in most parts of India.. It marks the beginning of the winter season after the long, unbearable, hot summer. Its roots come from the Ramayana and it is traditionally heralded as marking victory of Ram over the demon king Ravana, and the rescue of his wife Sita. It has essentially become a symbol victory of good over evil.

 CELEBRATIONS

Fairs are usually held on this occasion with lots to eat, buy and enjoy.

During the celebrations a dramatic depiction of episodes from the lives of Ram, Sita, and Lakshman are carried out as stage plays and live pagents.  Regional differences have evolved  with their own distinctive style.

On the tenth day, or the Vijayadasami, colossal effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghnad are placed in vast open spaces. Actors dressed as Ram, his consort Sita, and brother Lakshman arrive and shoot arrows of fire at these effigies, which are stuffed with firecrackers. The result is a deafening blast, and an explosion of sound and light enhanced by the shouts of merriment and triumph of the spectators.

RITUALS

As Dussehra is preceded by the Navratri or the nine days of the worship of Goddess Durga, some rituals related to the Goddess are also carried out that day. 

LEGENDS

Dusshera is most associated with the story of the Ramanya. 

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

In ancient times kings used the feast of Dussehra to cross the frontier and fight against their neighboring kingdoms. This was also the day to worship weapons. According to legend, Arjun, one of the Pandav princes (Mahabharat), hid his weapons in a shami tree when the Pandavs were banished into the forests. After one year he returned from the forest and on the day of Dussehra, he retrieved his weapons and worshipped them along with the shami tree. Hence the custom of worshipping weapons on this day started.

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