Daesara, Dussehra: Hindus celebrate feminism, harvest, goodness at end of Navaratri

October 12, 2024 by Leave a Comment

Each year during Dussehra, people from the village of Kulasekarapatinam and nearby villages fast and celebrate the festival by dressing up as different gods and goddesses of South India. Photo by Lsprasath, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12: The Hindu festival of Navaratri (a nine-night celebration honoring the goddess Durga, along with other goddesses and deities) culminates today, in the most celebrated holiday of all nine nights: Dasara.

Did you know? While some Hindu texts recognize two to four Navaratris each year, the most celebrated is this, Sharada Navaratri, which falls annually near the autumn equinox.

From the Sanskrit words for “remover of bad fate,” today’s Dussehra (spellings vary) brings towering effigies to the streets of India, along with a host of ancient rituals and marked traditions. Many Hindus recognize the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, a demon, during an epic battle over Rama’s wife, Sita. It’s believed that Ravana had 10 heads, and thus, 10 unfavorable qualities are rid from households with elaborate Yanga performances today; the unfavorable qualities include lust, anger, delusion, greed and jealousy.

In many parts of India, towering effigies of Ravana and his brothers are filled with firecrackers and exploded. Citizens cheer at the blast and dance, sing and feast. The burning effigies are also seen as a cleansing ritual, as they encourage onlookers to burn inner evil and follow the path of righteousness. In northern India, a chariot holding devotees costumed as Lord Rama and Sita rolls down the streets; in southern India, homes are decorated with lamps and flowers.

In many regions, Dussehra is also known as Vijayadashami, the celebration of yet another victory involving goodness over evil: Goddess Durga’s defeat of the demon Mahishasura. According to this legend, Mother Goddess Shakti incarnated in the form of Goddess Durga.

Across India, gratitude is expressed for the end of a scorching summer season and the approach of cooler days. The festival also starts the preparations for Diwali, the festival of lights, which is observed 20 days after Vijayadashami.

IN THE NEWS: According to reports, Dussehra is now being celebrated in more than 100 cities across the U.S. In addition, several states and cities have declared October Hindu Heritage Month, as it is the birth month of Mahatma Gandhi and the Gregorian month during which important Hindu holidays, such Navratri, Dussehra, Durga Puja and Diwali, often take place. (For more information, as well as instructions on how to submit a Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month (HAAAM) resolution to local government, check out the Hindu American Foundation.)

Looking for another neat item of interest? Mattel recently released Diwali Barbie, ahead of the Hindu Festival of Lights (read more from Mattel, here). According to Mattel, Barbie partnered with global fashion designer Anita Dongre to create the doll. According to Lalit Agarwal, country manager for Mattel India, the release of the doll showcases the brand’s hopes to showcase “India’s vibrant cultural heritage on a global stage while continuing to celebrate the power and beauty of diversity” (read more here).

 

Dussehra: In India, Hindus permitted to gather in larger groups for joyous festival

October 25, 2020 by Leave a Comment

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25: The festival of Navaratri—which began in India and in Hindu communities worldwide nine days ago, on October 17, this year—culminates in the most celebrated holiday of all nine nights: Dussehra, or Dasara (spellings vary).

News 2020: Just days before Navaratri began—on October 15—India underwent its fifth “unlock,” in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Navaratri and Dussehra, worshippers will be permitted to gather in temples—some of which have been closed since the lockdowns began. Religious functions may be held, with a limit of 100 people (outside of containment zones). The wearing of masks, social distancing, sanitizing and other health precautions will remain mandatory.

From the Sanskrit words for “remover of bad fate,” today’s Dussehra brings towering effigies to the streets of India, along with a host of ancient rituals and marked traditions. Many Hindus recognize the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, a demon, during an epic battle over Rama’s wife, Sita. It’s believed that Ravana had 10 heads, and thus, 10 unfavorable qualities are rid from households with elaborate Yanga performances today; the unfavorable qualities include lust, anger, delusion, greed and jealousy.

In many parts of India, massive effigies of Ravana and his brothers are traditionally filled with firecrackers and exploded. The burning effigies are also seen as a cleansing ritual, as they encourage Hindus to burn inner evil and follow the path of righteousness. In northern India, it is custom that a chariot holding devotees costumed as Lord Rama and Sita rolls down the streets; in southern India, homes are decorated with lamps and flowers.

Did you know? Feminism shines in the victory of Goddess Durga over demons, thereby continuing the female-centered rituals of Navaratri. In rural areas of India and Nepal, it’s recognized that harvest season begins today.

Given the day’s auspiciousness, many Hindu (and non-Hindu) children begin their formal education today. (Note: Under to Unlock 5.0, India is now permitted to reopen schools. However, virtual learning is still emphasized as the preference, and not all states are opening schools yet.) Some devotees purchase new work tools—whether books, computers or farming equipment—and still others pay respect to elders and request their blessings. Families and friends often gather for a feast.

Navaratri: Hindus celebrate motherhood, femininity during nine-night festival

September 8, 2019 by Leave a Comment

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29: Hindus begin the nine-night religious festival known as Sharad Navaratri (English spellings vary; the name often appears without the middle “a”), an ancient festival that emphasizes the motherhood of the divine and femininity. Each night during Navaratri, Hindus worship a different form or characteristic of the Mother Goddess Durga, who is regarded as being manifested in cosmic energy and power. In general, Sharad Navaratri is the celebration of good over evil, though many aspects of this tradition vary by region in India and around the world.

Did you know? Navaratri in its basic form takes place a number of times during the seasons of each year, but it’s Sharad Navaratri—this festival, at the beginning of autumn—that takes precedence over any other. Sharad Navaratri culminates on a final day known as Dussehra.

Legends related to this observance differ: Some indicate that Shiva gave permission to Durga to visit her mother for nine days, while others describe Durga’s victory following a nine-day battle with the demon Mahishasura. Life-size clay figures depicting this battle are commonly seen in temples during Navaratri. But there is a universal theme to this tradition, too: All Hindus aim for purity, avoiding meat, grains and alcohol—and usually installing a household pot that is kept lit for nine days. Some devotees fast, and others consume only milk and fruit for nine days.

SINGING AND DANCING IN THE STREETS

Navaratri brings out orchestras and community-wide singing in India: nighttime dances in the streets combine with bountiful feasts and shrines are elaborately decorated. In Saraswat Brahmin temples, statue figures are adorned with flowers, sandalwood paste and turmeric.

In some regions of India, it’s believed that one should try to envision the divinity in the tools used for daily life—whether books, computers or larger instruments—and decorate them with flowers and other adornments, in hopes of both humbling themselves and bringing auspiciousness upon the items that aid them in livelihood.