International Visitors RECHARGE
search
  1. Home
  2. Articles
  3. Details

VIJAYADASHMI

Share

Astro Rakesh Periwal 30th Sep 2017

Vijayadashami 

Vijayadashami also known as Dasara, Dusshera or dussehra is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navratri every year. It is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October. Vijayadasami is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. In the eastern and northeastern states of India, Vijayadashami marks the end of Durga Puja, remembering goddess Durga's victory over the buffalo demon to help restore Dharma. In the northern, southern and western states, the festival is synonymously called Dussehra (also spelled Dasara, Dashahara). In these regions, it marks the end of "Ramlila" and remembers God Rama's victory over the demon Ravana, or alternatively it marks a reverence for one of the aspects of goddess Devi such as Durga or Saraswati. Vijayadasami celebrations include processions to a river or ocean front that carry clay statues of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesha and Kartikeya, accompanied by music and chants, after which the images are immersed into the water for dissolution and a goodbye. Elsewhere, on Dasara, the towering effigies of Ravana symbolizing the evil is burnt with fireworks marking evil's destruction. The festival also starts the preparation for one of the most important and widely celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights, which is celebrated twenty days after the Vijayadashami.

Etymology and nomenclature

Vijayadashami (Devanagari: िवजयदशिम ) (Kannada: ಜಯ) (Telugu: జయదశ) is a composite of two words "Vijaya"(िवजय) and "Dashami"(दशमी), which respectively mean "victory" and "tenth", connoting the festival on the tenth day celebrating the victory of good over evil. The same Hindu festival- related term, however, takes different forms in different regions of India and Nepal, as well as among Hindu minorities found elsewhere. According to James Lochtefeld, the word Dussehra (Devanagari: दशहर) (Kannada: ದಸ ಹಬ ) is a variant of Dashahara which a compound Sanskrit word composed of "dasham"(दशम) and "ahar" (अहर), respectively meaning "10" and "day". According to Monier Williams, Dus (दुश) meaning "bad, evil, sinful" and Hara (हर) means "removing, destroying", connoting "removing the bad, destroying the evil, sinful".

Regional variations in Hinduism Northern India

In most of northern and western India, Dasha-Hara (literally, "ten days") is celebrated in honour of Rama. Thousands of drama-dancemusic plays based on the Ramayana and Ramcharitmanas (Ramlila) are performed at outdoor fairs across the land, in temporarily built staging grounds featuring effigies of demons Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghanada are held. The effigies are burnt on bonfires in the evening of Vijayadashami-Dussehra. While Dussehra is observed on the same day across India, the festivities leading to it varies. In many parts, the "Ram Lila", or the brief version of the story of Rama, Sita and Lakshamana is enacted over 9 days before it, but in some cities such as Varanasi, the entire story is freely acted out by performance artists before public every evening for a month. The performance arts tradition during the Dussehra festival was inscribed by UNESCO as one of the "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" in 2008. The festivities, states UNESCO, include songs, narration, recital and dialogue based on the Hindu text Ramacharitmanas by Tulsidas. It is celebrated across northern India for Dussehra, but particularly in historically important Hindu cities of Ayodhya, Varanasi, Vrindavan, Almora, Satna and Madhubani – cities in Uttar Pradesh, Utarakhand, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.The festival and dramatic enactment of the virtues versus vices filled story is organized by communities in hundreds of small villages and towns, attracting a mix of audience from different social, gender and economic backgrounds. In many parts, the audience and villagers join in and participate spontaneously, some helping the artists, others helping with stage set up, create make-up, effigies and lights.These arts come to a close on the night of Dussehra, when the victory of Rama is celebrated by burning the effigies of evil Ravana and his colleagues.

Himachal Pradesh

Kullu Dussehra is celebrated in the Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh, and is regionally notable for its large fair and parade witnessed by estimated half a million people. The festival is a symbol of victory of good over evil by Raghu Nath, and is celebrated like elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent with a procession. The special feature of the Kullu Dasara procession is the arrival of floats containing deities from different parts of the nearby regions and their journey to Kullu.

Southern India

Vijayadasami is celebrated in a variety of ways in South India.  Celebrations range from worshipping Durga, lighting up temples and major forts such as at Mysore, to displaying colorful figurines, known as a golu. The festival played a historical role in the 14th-century Vijayanagara Empire, where it was called Mahanavami. The Italian traveller Niccolò de' Conti described the festival's intensity and importance as a grandeur religious and martial event with royal support. The event revered Durga as the warrior goddess (some texts refer to her as Dasara is observed with the burning of Ravana effigies. Chamundeshwari). The celebrations hosted athletic competitions, singing and dancing, fireworks, a pageantry military parade and charitable giving to the public. The city of Mysore has traditionally been a major center of DasaraVijayadashami celebrations.Another significant and notable tradition of several South Indian regions has been the dedication of this festival to Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music and arts. She is worshipped, along with instruments of one's trade during this festival.

In Kerala,students wrap their books and leave them with goddess Saraswati along with other offerings like sugarcane,jaggery,malaru(roasted paddy) etc for two days during the period of which they refrain from reading or writing.On the day of Vijayadashami,a special pooja is conducted and the books are taken back. Pooja of instruments, tools of work, domestic animals and personal vehicles are also done on this day.This day is also considered auspicious for the children to start learning something new. 'Vidyarambham' ceremony is conducted by scholarly people in the temples. 

Western India

In Maharashtra, the deities installed on the first day of Navratri are immersed in water. Observers visit each other and exchange sweets. The festival has been historically important in Maharashtra. Shivaji, who challenged the Mughal Empire in the 17th-century and created a Hindu kingdom is western and central India, would deploy his soldiers to assist farmers in cropping lands and adequate irrigation to guarantee food supplies. Post monsoons, on Vijayadashami, these soldiers would leave their villages and reassemble to serve in the military, re-arm and obtain their deployment orders, then proceed to the frontiers for active duty. 

In Gujarat, both goddess Durga and god Rama are revered for their victory over evil. Fasting and prayers at temples are common. A regional dance called Dandia Ras, that deploys colorfully decorated sticks, and Garba that is dancing in traditional dress is a part of the festivities through the night.

In Mewar region of Rajasthan, both Durga and Rama have been celebrated on Vijayadashami, and it has been a major festival for Rajput warriors.

Eastern India

Vijaya Dasami is observed after Navratri, on the tenth day, marked by a great procession where the clay statues are ceremoniously walked to a river or ocean coast for a solemn goodbye to Durga. Many mark their faces with vermilion (sindoor) or dress in something red. It is an emotional day for some devotees, and the congregation sings emotional goodbye songs. When the procession reaches the water, Durga is immersed, the clay dissolves, and she is believed to return to Mount Kailasha with Shiva and cosmos in general. People distribute sweets and gifts, visit their friends and family members. Some communities such as those near Varanasi mark the eleventh day, called ekadashi, by visiting a Durga temple.

Nepal

Mysore Dasara procession and celebrations in Karnataka are a major tourist attraction. Colorful floor patterns to mark Vijayadashami. In Nepal , Vijayadashami follows the festival of Dashain. Youngsters visit the elders in their family, distant ones come to their native homes, and students visit their school teachers. The elders and teachers welcome the youngsters, mark their foreheads with Tilak and bless them. The family reveres the Hindu goddess of wealth Lakshmi, hoping for virtuous success and prosperity in the year ahead.

Like (0)

Comments

Post

Latest Posts

🚩श्री गणेशाय नम:🚩 ☀ मुहूर्त (जनवरी 2021) ☀ New Delhi, India 🔅 विवाह मुहूर्त 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 29, 30, 31 🔅 मुंडन मुहूर्त 27, 31 🔅 गृह प्रवेश मुहूर्त 29, 30 🔅 नामकरण मुहूर्त 02, 03, 05, 08, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 27, 29, 30, 31 🔅 अन्नप्राशन मुहूर्त 02, 08, 27, 29, 30 🔅 कर्णवेध मुहूर्त 16, 17, 27, 30, 31 🔅 विद्यारम्भ मुहूर्त 15, 16, 20, 27, 29, 30, 31 🔅 उपनयन/जनेऊ मुहूर्त 15, 27, 29, 30 🔅 सर्वार्थ सिद्धि योग 03, 05, 07, 08, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 24, 25, 30, 31 🔅 अमृत सिद्धि योग 03, 31

यस्मिन् जीवति जीवन्ति बहव: स तु जीवति | काकोऽपि किं न कुरूते चञ्च्वा स्वोदरपूरणम् || If the 'living' of a person results in 'living' of many other persons, only then consider that person to have really 'lived'. Look even the crow fill it's own stomach by it's beak!! (There is nothing great in working for our own survival) I am not finding any proper adjective to describe how good this suBAshit is! The suBAshitkAr has hit at very basic question. What are all the humans doing ultimately? Working to feed themselves (and their family). So even a bird like crow does this! Infact there need not be any more explanation to tell what this suBAshit implies! Just the suBAshit is sufficient!! *जिसके जीने से कई लोग जीते हैं, वह जीया कहलाता है, अन्यथा क्या कौआ भी चोंच से अपना पेट नहीं भरता* ? *अर्थात- व्यक्ति का जीवन तभी सार्थक है जब उसके जीवन से अन्य लोगों को भी अपने जीवन का आधार मिल सके। अन्यथा तो कौवा भी भी अपना उदर पोषण करके जीवन पूर्ण कर ही लेता है।* हरि ॐ,प्रणाम, जय सीताराम।

न भारतीयो नववत्सरोSयं तथापि सर्वस्य शिवप्रद: स्यात् । यतो धरित्री निखिलैव माता तत: कुटुम्बायितमेव विश्वम् ।। *यद्यपि यह नव वर्ष भारतीय नहीं है। तथापि सबके लिए कल्याणप्रद हो ; क्योंकि सम्पूर्ण धरा माता ही है।*- ”माता भूमि: पुत्रोSहं पृथिव्या:” *अत एव पृथ्वी के पुत्र होने के कारण समग्र विश्व ही कुटुम्बस्वरूप है।* पाश्चातनववर्षस्यहार्दिकाःशुभाशयाः समेषां कृते ।। ------------------------------------- स्वत्यस्तु ते कुशल्मस्तु चिरयुरस्तु॥ विद्या विवेक कृति कौशल सिद्धिरस्तु ॥ ऐश्वर्यमस्तु बलमस्तु राष्ट्रभक्ति सदास्तु॥ वन्शः सदैव भवता हि सुदिप्तोस्तु ॥ *आप सभी सदैव आनंद और, कुशल से रहे तथा दीर्घ आयु प्राप्त करें*... *विद्या, विवेक तथा कार्यकुशलता में सिद्धि प्राप्त करें,* ऐश्वर्य व बल को प्राप्त करें तथा राष्ट्र भक्ति भी सदा बनी रहे, आपका वंश सदैव तेजस्वी बना रहे.. *अंग्रेजी नव् वर्ष आगमन की पर हार्दिक बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएं* ज्योतिषाचार्य बृजेश कुमार शास्त्री

नमोऽस्त्वनन्ताय सहस्रमूर्तये , सहस्रपादाक्षि शिरोरुबाहवे | सहस्रनाम्ने पुरुषाय शाश्वते , सहस्रकोटी युगधारिणे नमः ॥ Salutations to those All Pervading Energies with thousand forms, having thousand eyes, heads, feet, and arms. Salutations to that eternal being called by a thousand names and sustaining the world through billions of years. *ये सर्वशक्तिमान शक्ति, हज़ारो हाथ, पैर, आँखें और सर के साथ जो हज़ारो रुप में सर्वव्यापक है उन्हें नमन करता हूँ । ये अनंत और अविनाशी शक्ति जो हजारो सालसे सारी दुनिया का पालण पोषण करती है उसे मेरा कोटी कोटी प्रणाम।* हरि ॐ, प्रणाम, जय सीताराम।

शरदि न वर्षति गर्जति, वर्षति वर्षासु नि:स्वनो मेघ:। नीचो वदति न कुरुते, न वदति सुजन: करोत्येव॥ Clouds in autumn make lot of noise but do not rain. Monsoon clouds rain, without making noise. An inferior person just talks, does not act but a good person acts without talking. *पतझड़ के बादल केवल गरजते हैं, बरसते नहीं; वर्षा ऋतु के मेघ चुपचाप (बिना गरजे) वर्षा करते हैं। दुष्ट लोग कहते हैं पर करते नहीं, सज्जन कार्य करते हैं पर कहते नहीं।* हरि ॐ,प्रणाम, जय सीताराम।

अस्थिरं जीवितं लोके अस्थिरे धनयौवने। अस्थिरा: पुत्रदाराश्र्च धर्मकीर्तिद्वयं स्थिरम्॥ Life in this world is ephemeral, wealth and youthfulness are also ephemeral, association with son and wife is also ephemeral. Only Righteousness and Fame always remain. *इस जगत में जीवन सदा न रहने वाला है, धन और यौवन भी सदा न रहने वाले हैं, पुत्र और स्त्री भी सदा न रहने वाले हैं। केवल धर्म और कीर्ति ही सदा रहने वाले हैं।* हरि ॐ,प्रणाम, जय सीताराम।

आलस्यं हि मनुष्याणां शरीरस्थो महान् रिपुः | नास्त्युद्यमसमो बन्धुः कृत्वा यं नावसीदति || Laziness is verily the great enemy residing in our body. There is no friend like hard work, doing which one doesn’t decline. *मनुष्यों के शरीर में रहने वाला आलस्य ही ( उनका ) सबसे बड़ा शत्रु होता है | परिश्रम जैसा दूसरा (हमारा )कोई अन्य मित्र नहीं होता क्योंकि परिश्रम करने वाला कभी दुखी नहीं होता |* हरि ॐ,प्रणाम, जय सीताआलस्यं हि मनुष्याणां शरीरस्थो महान् रिपुः | नास्त्युद्यमसमो बन्धुः कृत्वा यं नावसीदति || Laziness is verily the great enemy residing in our body. There is no friend like hard work, doing which one doesn’t decline. *मनुष्यों के शरीर में रहने वाला आलस्य ही ( उनका ) सबसे बड़ा शत्रु होता है | परिश्रम जैसा दूसरा (हमारा )कोई अन्य मित्र नहीं होता क्योंकि परिश्रम करने वाला कभी दुखी नहीं होता |* हरि ॐ,प्रणाम, जय सीताराम।राम।

आ

Top