Q. 1 What is Dussehra?
Dussehra, in Hinduism, is a holiday marking the triumph of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, over the 10-headed demon king Ravana, who abducted Rama’s wife, Sita. It marks the beginning of preparation for Diwali, which occurs 20 days after Dussehra.
Q.2 When is Dussehra celebrated?
Dussehra celebrates the victory of good over evil. It is a gazetted holiday in India, which is marked on the 10th day of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the month of Ashvin (Ashwayuja), according to the Hindu calendar. Dussehra is on 15th October this year. The Dashami tithi will begin at 6:52 pm on October 14, 2021, and will end at 6:02 pm on October 15, 2021.
Q.3 What are the other names of Dussehra?
The other names of Dussehra are- Vijayadasahmi, Dashahra, Dasara, Navaratri, Dashain. Vijayadashami is also marked as a triumph of Goddess Durga over the buffalo Demon Mahishasura.
Q.4 Why is Dussehra also called Vijayadashami?
The fight to save Goddess Sita lasted for 10 days and on the tenth day of Ashwin month, Lord Ram managed to kill Ravana with the help of ‘Divyastra’. Lord Ram killed Ravana on the Dashami tithi (tenth day) of this month and hence it is called Vijaya Dashami.
Q.5 What is the muhurat for Vijay and Aparahna Puja?
The Vijay muhurat will begin at 2:02 pm and continue till 2:48 pm. Aparahna puja muhurat will start at 1:16 pm and end at 3:34 pm.
Q.6 Is Vijayadashami an auspicious day?
Dussehra is considered to be a fortunate day for Indians. It is one of the most auspicious muhurat (moment or time) out of the sade teen (three and a half) muhurats in Hindu Astrology. Any time on this day, is auspicious enough to have important activities/ceremonies.
Q.7 Why Dussehra is celebrated after Navratri?
Subsequently, a battle between Mahishasura and Durga began that lasted for nine days. And it ended with the elimination of the demon on the tenth day. This is the reason why Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami is celebrated after Navratri.
Q.8 What is the hidden message before celebrating Dussehra?
On this special day of Dussehra, we celebrate bravery and courage and the triumph of good over evil. It is believed that all sorrows vanish on this day and a resurging spirit rise in hearts that leads us successfully through all the endeavors.
Q.9 Can we eat non-veg on Dussehra?
Dussehra falls after the Navratri ends. While most people commemorate the day with pure vegetarian food, there are also a few states where non-vegetarian delicacies are served on Dasara. People from Telangana and West Bengal in particular enjoy chicken, mutton and fish delicacies served mainly with rice.
Q. 10 How is Dussehra celebrated in different states?
Dussehra is celebrated across the nation, however in a few states it is celebrated in a special manner. So, these 9 different state celebrates Dussehra in a unique way.
- With Utter Religious Grandeur in West Bengal
- With Famous Garba in Gujarat
- With Grand Procession of Lord Raghunath in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh
- With Wonderful Ram Leela in Delhi
- With 9-Day Fast and Worship of Shakti in Punjab
- With Worshiping Goddesses in Tamil Nadu
- With Ravan Dahan in Uttar Pradesh
- By Worshiping Nature in Chhattisgarh
- With Carnival like Festival in Karnataka
- Kulasekarapattinam Dasara in Tamil Nadu
We @VenueMonk hope you have a lovely time celebrating with family and friends, and continue to celebrate the festivities with full energy