Dussehra or Vijayadashami is celebrated after the nine-day festival of Navratri. This year, the holy Hindu festival will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 24, 2023. This day also marks the start of Diwali preparations which will be reportedly held after 20 days following Dussehra celebrations in the country.
Dussehra SIGNIFICANCE
This festival is the most important Hindu celebration, and it commemorates Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana, the demon king who stole the former’s wife, Sita. The celebration holds profound cultural and religious importance as it symbolizes the ultimate victory of good over evil.
‘Dussehra’ is a Sanskrit word that translates to ‘ten (dasha) defeat (hara)’ in English since King Ravana was known to have ten heads.
As per the Drik Panchang, Dussehra falls on the 10th day of the month of Ashvina, and it corresponds to September-October in the Gregorian calendar.
Dussehra DATE And TIME
Dussehra aka Vijayadashami falls on the Shukla paksha Dashami during the Ashwin lunar month. This year, Vijayadashami (or Dussehra) falls on Tuesday, October 24. The auspicious Puja time spans the Dashami Tithi, commencing on October 23 at 5:45 pm and concluding on October 24 at 3:14 pm.
According to Drik Panchang, this year Dashami tithi begins at 05.44 PM on October 23, Monday and ends at 03.14 PM on October 24, Tuesday. The Vijay Muhurata begins at 01.58 PM on October 23 and ends at 02.43 PM on the same day. The duration of the Vijay Muhurata is 45 minutes.
This year, the Apaharana pooja time on Tuesday lies between 01.13 PM and 03.28 PM and the duration is 2 hours 15 minutes.
Dussehra RITUALS
While Dussehra is not officially a part of Navratri or Durga Puja festivities, it is intrinsically linked to them. The reason is that this festival follows the day when idols of Goddess Durga are immersed in holy water bodies.
Interestingly, India is a diverse land, and the traditions and rituals for celebrating festivals are quite contrasting. During Dashami rites, particularly in West Bengal, the festival is celebrated with Sindoor Khela, a ritual in which married Hindu women smear each other with vermilion while bidding farewell to the goddess.
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