Vijayadashami celebrated all over India today

Vijayadashami celebrated all over India today

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, oct 6, 2011 : Vijayadashami, which is celebrated on the 10th day of Ashwija, comes on Oct 6 this year. One of the most significant of Hindu festivals, it is celebrated all over India, Bangladesh, and Nepal under different names such as Dasara, Dussehra, Durgotsav, Navarathri, Ramlila, and so on.

 

The 9-day Navarathri festival culminates in Vijayadashami, which illustrates the rich cultural heritage of India. Throughout Navarathri, plays, dance performances, songs, and bhajan sessions are held all over the country on erected pandals.

In South India, Goddess Sharada, the deity for education and affluence, is usually installed. Different forms of the goddess are presented on each day of Navarathri, signifying that she controls every significant aspect of human life.

In North India, large statues of Kumbhakaran, Ravan, and Meghanand are raised on large grounds. These statues are filled with fire crackers and set on fire during the depiction of the Ramayan, which is done on the very first day. A devotee dressed in the costume of Shri Rama shoots an arrow at these three statues, after which they go up in flames.

This festival commences at the beginning of the harvest season with newly harvested corn brought in a procession to the temple followed by a puja and distribution of corn among the devotees who place this corn in granaries, almirahs, and machinery. On the ninth day, work tools are cleaned up and worshipped.

On the day of Vijayadashami, the idols of Sharada, Durga, and the Navadurgas are taken in a colorful procession, featuring tableaux, music bands, and dance groups, and immersed in the temple tank. People also don various costumes and perform before houses and shops, seeking donations. The most popular presentations are by Huli Vesha teams.