From time to time, many festivals are celebrated by the Hindus
of India. Every festival has its own importance. Dusserah, also known as Vijaya
Dashami is the festival, which is unique and of great significance.
Vijaya means victory and Dashami means tenth, so Vijaya Dashami
is the other name of Dusserah, victory on the tenth. This festival falls on
Aswin Shuki tenth. Lord Rama invaded Sri Lanka on this day and came out
victorious. This day has been recognized auspicious to defeat an enemy.
According to astrology, that period, before the rise of stars on Aswin Shuki
tenth, is 'Vijaya'. That awards Siddhi (Supernatural powers) to all deeds.
Before this tenth day is widow night, which is pure. The sunrise after this is
the most superior. Vijaya Dashami is a national festival of India. Prominently
this is a festival of the Kshatriyas. Public, in general observe this as Ram
Lila. For first nine days (Nava Ratri) of Shuki Paksh, Rama Lila is performed.
On the tenth (Vijay Dashami) day. Lord Rama is taken out in a procession on a
be jewelled chariot all over the streets. This day is still more lucky, if one
happens to have a glance at Neel Kanth (a small eagle of blue colour). Any
king, who celebrates this festival every year, against victory over his enemies
with all his horses, elephants and carriers; all weapons and armour, all family
members and attendants, he goes out of town and worships Gods and then pervades
his enemy or his effigy, backed by enchantment of Vedic hymns, such a king is
always victorious.
Lord Rama was the seventh incarnation of Visnu. He was born
during Treta Yuga, on the ninth of the light half of the month of Chetr
(March-April) in the city of Ayodhaya, with Dashrath as his father and
Kaushalaya as the mother. At the first dawn of intelligence, he acquired much
learning and withdrawing from all worldly pursuits, set out journeying through
wilds and gave a fresh beauty to his life by visiting holy shrines.
Dashrath, during a war with the ashuras and in order to help the
gods, was injured and his third wife, who was with him on the battle field,
saved his life. So Dashrath had promised a boon to Kekeye to be availed, as and
when she desired. Rama was declared as the successor to old Dashrath. Kekeye
availed off the promise and got Rama to be sent to exile for fourteen years.
The aim was to get her son Bharata installed in place of Rama.
Rama being righteous person, in order to save the word of his
father, went into exile. His younger brother Lakshman and his wife Sita
accompanied him, voluntarily. During the exile, Rama visited many saints and
saved their heritage from atrocities of the demons. By a trick and magical
powers, Ravana stole away Sita. Lakshman insulted Supamakha, the sister of
Ravana.
Ravana, one of the rakshasas, two generations in descent from
B'rhma; the son of great rishi Visravas (son of saint Pulsateye) born out of a
Gandharva marriage with a demon wife, is said to have performed sever
austerities for a period of ten thousand years, in the hope of obtaining
sovereignty of the three worlds. The deity appeared to him and granted his
prayer. Ravana was highly learned and had obtained power from B'rhma. He is
said to have had ten heads, which may signify intelligence, but the ego in him
was his curse. The Gods were afflicted by his rule. They solicited his
dethronement, which was vouchsafed, and Rama was incarnated to accomplish this
end.
Dusserah is celebrated in remembrance of the victory of Rama
over Ravana. A ten headed person, has never been born, nor is, nor would be
born, so this myth of ten heads is superfluous. In fact it signifies the
victory over evils. Burning of the effigy of Ravana on the Vijaya Dashami day,
means to get rid of the evils in a man, which are sex, lust or carnality; anger
or rage, greed, avarice or temptation, attachment, allurement or infatuation,
arrogance, ego or pride, jealousy, hatred, feeling of revenge, insulting others
or talking ill of others, dishonesty, selfishness, intolerance, violence,
cruelty or hurting others.
Rama was known for his strict abidance to truth, virtue and
righteousness. Rama's main hole in the divine Rama was to spell out the law of
virtue. Rama symbolizes a perfect life and those who follow the path laid by
him will enjoy peace. Although Rama conquered Sri Lanka and killed Ravana, yet
his aim was only to liberate Sita, to put an end to the atrocities of Ravana.
It was not a revenge. It was not selfishness, because he handed over the
kingdom of Sri Lanka to Bheveeshan,the brother of Ravana, Rama assures
protection to all, who seek refuge in him, such as Sugriva, the monkey king.
The Story of Rama and his victory over Ravana, was originally compiled in
Valmiki's Ramayana, later recited in the Mahabharata and then illustrated in
Tuisi Dasa's Ram Charit Manas.
Ram Lila begins on the first day of Navaratris, when the
enactment of Rama Drama begins. The whole life story of Rama, right from his
birth on earth, his childhood, his education and training, his winning over
Sita in a sweyeambar (Competition). His coronation to be, his exile, encounter
with demons in safeguarding Rishi ashrams, stealing away of Sita, meeting
Ahalyabai, meeting Hanuman, friendship with Sugrieva, invasion of Sri Lanka and
the killing of Ravana and return to Ayodhaya all these incidents, form topics
for day performance over the stage, in most parts of India. On the last day,
the day of Dusserah, the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran (Ravana's brother) and
Meghnath (Ravana's son) are burnt with an arrow shot from Rama's bow. The
crackers fitted inside the effigies explode with great noise and to he laughter
of the crowd in Dusserah fair.
The Rama Barat of Agra, marriage procession of Rama, from
Ayodhaya toJanakpur, the capital city of Janaka, the father of Sita, is famous,
which attracts crowds from all nearby places, who come in thousands, carried on
buses, tongas, tractor trolleys and on foot. The Dusserah melas (fairs) at
Mysore, Kulu and Kota (Rajasthan) are famous for their magnificence, although
every place in India, celebrates the fair, in one form or the other.
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