DASARA

Dasara, derived from the Sanskrit Dasha-hara meaning "remover of bad fate", is among the most important festivals celebrated in India

Vijayadashami also known as Dashahara, Dussehra,  Navratri or Durgotsav is one of the most important Hindu festivals celebrated in various forms, across India.

The name Dussehra is derived from Sanskrit Dasha-hara literally means removal of ten referring to Lord Rama's victory over the ten-headed demon king Ravana. The day also marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demons Mahishasur. The name Vijayadashami is also derived from the Sanskrit words "Vijaya-dashmi" literally meaning the victory on the dashmi (Dashmi being the tenth lunar day of the Hindu calendar month).

Victory of God Rama over Ravana

On this day in the Treta Yug, Rama, also called Shri Ram, the seventh avatar of Vishnu, killed the great demon Ravana who had abducted Rama's wife Sita to his kingdom of Lanka. Rama, his brother Lakshmana, their follower Hanuman and an army of monkeys fought a great battle to rescue Sita. The entire narrative is recorded in the epic Ramayana, a Hindu scripture.

Rama had performed "Chandi Homa" and invoked the blessings of Durga, who blessed Rama with secret knowledge of the way to kill Ravana. On the day of Ashvin Shukla Dashami, Rama's party found Sita and defeated Ravana. Thus it is termed as Vijaya Dashami. Based on the inferences from Valmiki’s Ramayana, Kalidas’s Raghuvans, Tulsidas’s Ram Charit Manas, and Keshavdas's Ram Chandra Yas Chandrika as well as common perception in India, Rama, Sita, and of Lakshmana returned to Ayodhya on the 30th day of Ashvin (19–20 days after Vijayadashmi). To mark the return of Lord Rama, in the evening, the residents of Ayodhya lit their city with millions of earthen lamps (called Deepak). Since then, this day is celebrated in India as Deepawali or Diwali.

Many people perform "Aditya Homa" as a "Shanti Yagna" and recite Sundara Kanda of Srimad Ramayana for 5 days. These Yagna performances are thought to create powerful agents in the atmosphere surrounding the house that will keep the household environment clean and healthy. These rituals are intended to rid the household of the ten bad qualities, which are represented by 10 heads of Ravana as follows:

1.   Kama vasana (Lust)

2.   Krodha (Anger)

3.   Moha (Attachment)

4.   Lobha (Greed)

5.   Mada (Over Pride)

6.   Matsara (Jealousy)

7.   Swartha (Selfishness)

8.   Anyaaya (Injustice)

9.   Amanavta (Cruelty)

10. Ahankara (Ego).

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Victory of Durga Mata over Mahishasura

Some of the demons, or Asuras, were very powerful and ambitious and continually tried to defeat the Devas, or Gods, and capture Heaven. One Asura,Mahishasura, in the form of a buffalo, grew very powerful and created havoc on the earth. Under his leadership, the Asuras defeated the Devas. The world was crushed under Mahishasura's tyranny, the Devas joined their energies into Shakti, a single mass of incandescent energy, to kill Mahishasura.

A very powerful band of lightning emerged from the mouths of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and a young, beautiful female virgin with ten hands appeared. All the Gods gave their special weapons to her. This Shakti coalesced to form the goddess Durga. Riding on a lion, who assisted her, Durga fought Mahishasura. The battle raged for nine days and nights. Finally on the tenth day of Ashvin shukla paksha, Mahishasura was defeated and killed by Durga.

Hence Dasha-Hara is also known as Navratri or Durgotsav and is a celebration of Durga's victory. Durga, as Consort of Lord Shiva, represents two forms of female energy – one mild and protective and the other fierce and destructive.

DASARA: Vijayadashami 

(also  known as Dashahara, Dussehra, Navratri or Durgotsav) is one of the most important Hindu festivals celebrated in various forms, across India.

The name Dussehra is derived from Sanskrit Dasha-hara literally means removal of ten referring to Lord Rama's victory over the ten-headed demon king Ravana. The day also marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the demons Mahishasur. The name Vijayadashami is also derived from the Sanskrit words "Vijaya-dashmi" literally meaning the victory on the dashmi (Dashmi being the tenth lunar day of the Hindu calendar month).

Victory of Rama over Ravana:

Mr. Ravana abducted Mrs.Sita from India to his kingdom Lanka by a chartered flight, Pushpaka vimana. Mr. Raman through Google search found sita in Lanka. Since that period no mobile phone service available, he established communication through Mr. Hanuman who was Olympic champion for long jump. With the help of Captain Hanuman, Major. Sugreevan etc Rama organized an Army of Monkeys (by offering Banana). They constructed a bridge from Rameswaram to Lanka. Since Ravana was a very powerful king, Rama signed MOU with Durga, who offered the technical support. Rama killed Ravana and took sita to India.

The ten heads of Ravana represents ten bad qualities as follows:

Kama( Lust), Krodha( Anger), Moha(Attachment), Lobha(Greed), Mada(Over Pride), Matsara(Jealousy), Swartha( Selfishness), Anyaya(Injustice), Amanavta(Cruelty) and Ahankara( ego)

Mysore Dasara (Kannada: ಮೈಸೂರು ದಸರ) is the Nadahabba (state-festival) of the state of Karnataka. It is also called Navaratri (Nava-ratri = nine-nights) and is a 10-day festival with the last day being Vijayadashami, the most auspicious day of Dasara. According to a legend, Vijayadashami denotes the victory of truth over evil and was the day when the Hindu Goddess Chamundeshwari killed the demon Mahishasura. Mahishasura is the demon from whose name the name Mysore has been derived. The city of Mysore has a long tradition of celebrating the Dasara festival and the festivities there are an elaborate affair, attracting a large audience including foreigners. The Dasara festival completed 403 th anniversary in year 2013.

The fight against evil is still has its significance. Join the mass to FIGHT against present RAVANA’s.

C.SUNISH.