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Vijayadashami/ Dussehra: Celebrating the Victory of Good Over Evil

Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, is a significant Hindu festival that symbolizes the victory of good over evil. It is celebrated with great fervor across India and marks the culmination of two intertwined stories – the tale of Lord Rama’s triumph over the demon king Ravana and the story of Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura. Together, these stories remind us of the eternal struggle between good and evil, and the ultimate triumph of righteousness.

The Story of Lord Rama and Ravana

At the heart of Dussehra is the ancient story of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu, who embarks on a quest to rescue his wife, Sita, from the demon king Ravana. Ravana, the ten-headed ruler of Lanka, kidnaps Sita, leading to an epic battle between the forces of good, led by Lord Rama, and the forces of evil, led by Ravana.

Rama is not alone in his quest. His loyal brother Lakshman and the devoted Hanuman, along with an army of monkeys, join him in the battle to defeat Ravana. After a fierce struggle, Rama finally confronts Ravana in the climactic battle of the Ramayana. With his divine bow and arrow, Rama strikes Ravana down, killing him and rescuing Sita. The defeat of Ravana symbolizes the victory of dharma (righteousness) over adharma (unrighteousness).

The burning of Ravana’s effigy, known as Ravana Dahan, is one of the most prominent rituals of Dussehra. It serves as a reminder that no matter how powerful evil may appear, it will always be vanquished by truth and justice.

The Story of Goddess Durga and Mahishasura

While Lord Rama’s story is central to Dussehra, the festival also celebrates another powerful victory of good over evil – the story of Goddess Durga. According to Hindu mythology, Mahishasura, a shape-shifting demon who could take the form of a buffalo, terrorized the heavens and the earth. He was granted a boon by Lord Brahma that made him nearly invincible, with the condition that only a woman could defeat him.

Mahishasura grew arrogant, believing that no woman could ever challenge him. He wreaked havoc on the universe, forcing the gods to seek help. In response, the gods combined their powers to create Goddess Durga, the fierce embodiment of divine feminine energy (Shakti). Armed with weapons gifted by the gods, Durga engaged in a fierce battle with Mahishasura that lasted for nine days and nights.

On the tenth day, known as Vijayadashami, Goddess Durga finally vanquished Mahishasura, freeing the world from his tyranny. This victory symbolizes the power of Shakti, or feminine energy, and the triumph of good over evil forces that try to disrupt cosmic harmony.

During the festival of Navratri, which leads up to Vijayadashami, devotees worship the nine forms of Durga, celebrating her strength, wisdom, and compassion. On the final day, Vijayadashami, her victory over Mahishasura is commemorated with great enthusiasm, particularly in eastern India, where large statues of the goddess are immersed in water (Durga Visarjan) as part of the celebrations.

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Significance of Dussehra and Vijayadashami

Both the stories of Lord Rama and Goddess Durga serve as powerful metaphors for the battles we face in our lives. Dussehra reminds us that good will always prevail, even in the face of great adversity. The festival’s message is universal – it speaks of courage, righteousness, and the importance of standing up against injustice and evil.

Cultural and Spiritual Unity:
Dussehra and Vijayadashami bring people together, celebrating the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of India. The rituals, processions, and reenactments of the stories create a sense of unity among communities. Whether it’s through the grand effigies of Ravana being burnt or the immersion of Goddess Durga’s idols, the festival fosters a sense of shared belief in the triumph of good over evil.

Victory of Dharma Over Adharma:
Both stories highlight the importance of living a life guided by dharma (righteousness) and upholding moral principles. Lord Rama’s unwavering commitment to dharma, despite the challenges he faces, and Goddess Durga’s fierce determination to restore balance and defeat evil, remind us to stay true to our values.

Inner Battles and Personal Growth:
Dussehra is not just about external battles but also symbolizes the internal struggle between good and evil within us. Just as Lord Rama fought Ravana and Goddess Durga battled Mahishasura, we too must confront the negative emotions and vices within us, such as anger, greed, and pride. The victory of good over evil in these stories serves as an inspiration for self-reflection and personal growth.

Rituals and Celebrations

Dussehra and Vijayadashami are marked by a variety of vibrant rituals and traditions across India, each region celebrating in its own unique way. Here are some of the key rituals:

Ramleela Performances:
In many regions, the story of Lord Rama’s battle with Ravana is performed through Ramleela, a dramatic reenactment of the Ramayana. These performances captivate audiences, reminding them of the values of truth, honor, and courage.

Ravana Dahan:
In many parts of India, enormous effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkaran, and his son Meghnath are set on fire. This ritual symbolizes the destruction of evil forces and is often accompanied by fireworks and celebrations.

Durga Puja and Visarjan:
In eastern India, especially in West Bengal, Durga Puja is a major celebration. Devotees build beautiful pandals (temporary structures) to house the idols of Goddess Durga. After days of worship, these idols are taken in grand processions to rivers or the sea for immersion, marking the end of the festival.

Navratri Celebrations:
Across India, Navratri is celebrated with great enthusiasm leading up to Vijayadashami. Each day of the nine-night festival is dedicated to a different form of the goddess, and people participate in traditional dances like Garba and Dandiya, especially in Gujarat.

Conclusion

Vijayadashami and Dussehra are more than just festivals—they are a reminder that good will always triumph over evil, both in the world and within ourselves. The stories of Lord Rama and Goddess Durga serve as timeless lessons, guiding us to lead lives rooted in righteousness, courage, and compassion.

As we burn the effigies of Ravana and celebrate the victory of Goddess Durga, we are reminded to confront the evils we face in our own lives—be they external challenges or internal struggles. The festival encourages us to strive for balance, uphold truth, and believe in the power of good to overcome even the darkest forces.

Let us carry the spirit of Vijayadashami with us throughout the year, drawing inspiration from these ancient tales as we navigate the challenges of modern life, always remembering that good will ultimately prevail.

How to Perform Navratri Durga Puja?

For Hindus, Navratri is considered a vibrant as well as auspicious festival of nine days that is dedicated to worshiping the nine avatars or forms of the goddess Durga with great enthusiasm and devotion. During these sacred nine days, devotees commonly engage in activities like fasting, prayers, as well as various other rituals to seek blessings, strength, and prosperity from goddess Durga. Nevertheless, performing a Navratri puja at your home is not just a religious activity, as it is also considered as one of the best ways to feel more connected with your cultural roots, even if you’re living away from your hometown, like in the USA, Canada, etc.

Thus, whether it’s your first time performing the Navratri puja or you have been practicing it for years, here in this article, we’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of how to perform this puja in the comfort of your home without missing any of the traditions.

What is Navratri?

In Hindi, Navratri means ‘nine nights’ which is one of the many auspicious festivals celebrated across India to worship the nine forms or avatars of goddess Durga in order to seek her blessings. According to the Hindu calendar, the Navratri comes two times in a year, once in the Chaitra month to celebrate the Hindu new year and the other in the Ashwin month to celebrate Dussehra, which signifies the winning of Lord Rama against Ravana.

Nevertheless, each day of the Navratri is dedicated to one form of the goddess, which signifies her specific powers. Thus, Navratri is also considered as a season of spiritual cleansing as well as seeking favors or healings for health, wealth, and peace from the goddess.

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Guide to Perform Navratri Puja at Home

1. Preparation for Navratri Puja

It is considered as very important to prepare your mind, body, as well as home before starting the Navratri puja, as cleanliness and purity are the keys to beginning the rituals.

Clean Your Home:

Before beginning the puja, it is mandatory to thoroughly clean the area where you plan to perform the puja. This space should be free from any potential distractions in order to make you solely focus on your puja. Therefore, it is advised to create a small space or corner where you can place the idols or pictures and all the other necessary items to worship the goddess Durga without any disturbances during these nine days.

Set Up the Puja Altar:

Firstly, place the pictures of idols of goddess Durga or any of her nine forms on the altar.

Now, decorate the altar with beautiful fresh flowers, incense as per your liking and also a lamp that directly faces the direction of goddess Durga idols. You can also leave some space on the altar to offer fruits, sweets, etc. to the goddess during these days.

Now, place a small Kalash (pot) filled with water, add a few drops of Ganga Jal (Ganga water) and place a coin in it. Then, put a coconut on it and decorate the entire pot by partially inserting Ashok leaves (Saraca indica leaves) in it.

2. Sankalpa (Vow)

Once you set up your altar, then sit down with a relaxed mind on the mat to take the Sankalpa (vow or commitment). It is taken to perform the puja wholeheartedly as well as to perform fasting and other rituals with sincerity.

How to Take Sankalpa:

Face the east or north direction in the space you have created for the puja and join your hands in a prayer position.

Now, chant the mantra, “Om aim hreem kleem chamundaye vicche.” for as many times as you can.

Now, meditate on goddess Durga and express your wish to perform the puja wholeheartedly for the nine days with sincerity.

3. Invoke Goddess Durga

Whenever you’re done with the Sankalpa, then it’s time to invite the goddess Durga into your home to stay there during these nine days. This ritual begins with ghata sthapana or kalash sthapna (pot installation) in another pot, which is filled with soil and some barley seeds sprinkled on it.

Kalash Sthapana (Pot Installation):

Firstly, decorate the coconut, which you have placed upon the kalash (pot) previously, with turmeric and kumkum powder and then place it in the pot of soil.

Now, light the ghee lamp and some incense sticks to invoke the presence of goddess Durga into your home. You can also offer fresh flowers, fruits, sweets, etc. to the deity and chant the durga mantras with full concentration, like “om dum durgayei namaha….” for 108 times if possible.

4. Chanting Mantras and Reciting Durga Saptashati

Chanting the mantras of goddess Durga and reciting scriptures like Durga saptashati or Devi mahatmya are considered as a very important part of the Navratri puja in order to get the blessings of the goddess Durga. Therefore, it is highly advised that you should recite at least a few chapters every day or you can also play the recorded chants if you don’t know the verses. You can chant mantras like “Ya Devi Sarva bhuteshu…” to offer your prayers to the goddess in order to seek protection as well as blessings from her.

5. Offer Bhog (Food Offering)

It is considered as very important to offer bhog during the Navratri to the goddess Durga. You can also offer different foods on each day of the Navratri according to the specific preferences of the goddess for that particular day. For example, you can offer pure milk-based products such as kheer (rice pudding) to goddess Shailputri on day-1, sugar and fruits like apples and bananas to goddess Brahmacharini on day-2 and so on. Once you offer the food to the goddess, then you can share it with your family members as a prasad in order to share the blessings of the goddess among them too.

6. Aarti and Devotional Songs

Performing the aartis, which are often called as devotional songs, are considered as one of the most blissful parts of the Navratri puja and they are performed two times a day, usually once in the morning and once in the evening.

To perform the aarti, you should light a camphor in a vessel and move it in a circular motion in front of the deity while signing the aarti, like “ambe tu jagdambe kali, jai durge khappar vali…” which is also considered as a very popular aarti among the devotees to seek the blessings of goddess Durga.

7. Navratri Fasting

Taking a fast during the Navratri is considered as one of the most important parts of the entire festival, as it is believed to cleanse both your body as well as your soul. This practice also represents your devotion as well as self-discipline to the goddess Durga, which can be a way to enhance your spiritual connection with the divine. There are various ways in which the devotees can choose to fast, like:

Full Fast: In this practice, the devotees avoid consuming any type of food throughout the day. Some devotees may only consume water, while others allow for light liquids like coconut water or fresh fruit juices according to their likings as well as keeping their health in mind.

Partial Fast: This fasting involves eating certain foods that are often called as ‘vrat-friendly’ and don’t break your fast, like fruits, dairy products, and special grains like kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour), singhare ka atta (water chestnut flour), or sabudana khichdi (tapioca). This practice is very common among devotees, as it makes the nine days of the fasting quite manageable without compromising on their health.

8. Kanya Pujan (Worshiping of Young Girls)

It is considered as a mandatory tradition to perform Kanya pujan, in which worship of nine young girls, usually below the age of 11-12 years, is performed. This ritual represents the nine forms or avatars of goddess Durga worshiped on the Astami (eighth day) or Navami (ninth day of the Navratri).

How to Perform Kanya Pujan:

Firstly, wash the feet of the young girls, then serve them a meal that usually contains halwa, puri, and chana. You can also give them fresh clothes or gifts as per your liking to welcome them into your home on the auspicious day.

This Kanya pujan is also considered as a symbol of worshiping the goddess Durga in her young forms, as it is believed to bring blessings of both health and prosperity into your home.

9. Visarjan (Concluding the Puja)

The Navratri puja ends with the final rituals of visarjan (immersion) of the idols of goddess Durga in the ponds or any other suitable place in order to offer her a farewell. It is also performed to thank the goddess for her blessings as well as to pray to her to return next year with the same joy and prosperity. Then, you can either water the plants with the kalash water or sprinkle it into your home in order to retain a positive vibe throughout the day.

The Navratri puja is considered as an auspicious journey of spirituality, self-discipline, as well as devotion to the goddess to show us the right path and also to seek blessings of great health and prosperity from her. Nevertheless, now you may be able to perform these rituals without any hindrances in the comfort of your home by following the above steps in order to stay connected to your cultural roots as well as to seek the blessings of goddess Durga.

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Legends of Hindu Goddess Durga: The Invincible

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Durga is a vicious form of Hindu Goddess Devi, known for her indestructible nature. She is commonly depicted with 18 arms all carrying weapons as she rides atop a fierce tiger. She carries a weapon given to her by each of the Gods including Hindu God Indra’s (God of Destruction) lightning bolt and Hindu God Vishnu’s (The Preserver) Discus. These weapons are endeared to her as a defender of the world. She is frequently seen slaying demons especially the buffalo demon known as Mahishasura. It is said that she was created in order to fight off the incredible might of the asura Mahishasura, who could not be defeated by any male or god alike. Mahishasura had been reigning incredible terror upon the earth and as the gods became helpless, Hindu God Shiva turned to his wife Parvati for help. Parvati responded by traveling to an ashram to take on the role as female goddess warrior. The Gods also turned to Brahman, the supreme creator of all gods, for help and together they banned together emitting beams of light from their bodies. The beam of light expanded to the Ashram where Hindu Godess Parvati had ventured and out of the light Durga was born, a fierce and eager female warrior goddess. She was formed of the female aspects of Brahman just as Shiva had once been formed of Brahmans male counterparts. The gods were blessed and endeared by her. As she fought with the revered Mahishasura she exclaimed:

“Roar with delight while you still can, O illiterate demon, because when I will kill you, the gods themselves will roar with delight”.

Eventually paralyzed by the blinding light constantly emanating from Durga’s body, the buffalo demon was slain with one swift slice of her sword as she erupted in laughter.

This account of her ferocious stand off and conquering of the buffalo demon is celebrated annually in the national festival Durga Puja, which falls on October 19-24^th of 2012. As an endeared Goddess, Durga’s divine feminine energies are thought to be a manifestation of all the gods.

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