The festival of Dussehra or Vijaydashmi commemorates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravan, the demon king of Lanka. The festival of Dussehra celebrates and promotes the message of the victory of virtue over evil. Though the celebrations for Dussehra are made all over the country, the sense of the nerve of the festival can be much clearly felt in the northern part of the country.
Know More about Dussehra Festival
According to Roman calendar, there is no fixed day on which the festival of Dussehra or Vijaydashmi has to be celebrated. In accordance to the Hindu calendar, Dussehra falls on the tenth day of the month of Ashwin, which usually falls either in the month of October or November. Also the day of Dussehra falls exactly twenty days before the day of another major festival of Diwali. However, the festival of Dussehra is not merely constrained to a one day celebration. As Dussehra falls at the end of the Navratra celebrations, people celebrate it for an extended period. Instead, the festival of Dussehra and the festivities around it can be said to conclude on the day of Dussehra. Bengalis consider Dussehra as a part of their major festival of Durga Puja. They celebrate it in commemoration of the legend of the killing of Mahishasura by Goddess Durga. Mahishasura was a mighty demon. Goddess Durga, who is considered to be the incarnation of Goddess Shakti, killed Mahishasura.
Dussehra Festival 2011: What is the date?
As one is getting closer to the time of festival celebration in India, all must be wondering and questioning is about when exactly the Dussehra or Vijaydashmi festival of 2011 will fall on. In according to the Hindu calendar, and the positioning of the moon, Dussehra festival of 2011 will fall on 6th October.
Dussehra Festival 2011 Celebrations
The most prominent figure of Dussehra celebrations with which all the followers of Hindu religion has associated them since the time as old as mountains is the three giant figures of Ravan, Meghnath, and Kumbhkaran, and their demolition by the Lord Rama. Meghnath was the son of Ravan, and Kumbhkaran was the brother of Ravan, who assisted Ravan in his war against Lord Rama, which Lord Rama eventually won. As a part of Dussehra celebrations, life size structures of these three are placed in open grounds. Also, a fair is settled up in the remaining part. During the evening time on the day of Dussehra, people gathered in those grounds. An actor portraying Lord Rama or otherwise an eminent personality, fires the three demon structures. As soon as the three effigies start burning, people celebrate the moment with joy and applaud. The burning of three effigies of three demons symbolizes and promotes the message of killing the evil demons residing inside us.