This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2012)

Vijayadashami
Also called	Dashain, Dussehra, Dashahara, Dashera
Observed by	Hindus.
Type	Religious
Significance	Celebrating victory of Shakti over Mahishasura, of Lord Rama over Ravana, and of Durga over demons like Madhu-Kaitav, Chanda-Munda and Shumbha- Nishumbha; that is victory of good over evil.
2011 date	6 October 2011
2012 date	24 October 2012
2013 date	14 October 2013
Celebrations	This day marks the end of Durga Puja so people immerse the idols and go to each others' house and exchange gifts and sweets.
Observances	Putting tika on forehead, prayers, religious rituals like burning a model of Ravana (see puja, prasad)

Vijayadashami (Bengali: বিজয়াদশমী, Kannada: ವಿಜಯದಶಮಿ, Malayalam: വിജയദശമി, Marathi: विजयादशमी, Nepali :विजया दशमी, Oriya :ବିଜୟାଦଶମୀ, Tamil: விஜயதசமி, Telugu: విజయదశమి) also known as Dasara, is one of the most important festivals celebrated in various forms, across India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Dasara/ Dussehra is derived from Sanskrit Dasha-hara meaning "remover of bad fate" meaning remover of ten heads of Ravana's.

It is also referred to as Navratri and Durgotsav. It is also written as Dashahara, Dussehra Bengali: দশেরা, Kannada: ದಸರ, Malayalam: ദസറ, Konkani: दसरो, Marathi: दसरा, Oriya:ଦଶହରା, Telugu: దసరా, Punjabi: ਦਸੇਰਾ and Dashain in Nepal.

Dasara is celebrated on the tenth day of the Hindu autumn lunar month of Ashvin, or Ashwayuja which falls in September or October of the Western calendar, from the Shukla Paksha Pratipada, or the day after the new moon which falls in Bhadrapada, to the Dashami, or the tenth day of Ashvin. The first nine days are celebrated as Maha Navratri(Sanskrit: नवरात्रि, 'nine nights') or Sharada Navratri (the most important Navratri) and culminates on the tenth day as Dasara.

The day marks the victory of Goddess Durga over such demons as Shumbh and Nishumbh. It is a day when devotees worship Goddess Shakti. Shakti represents strength, ability and courage. This day also celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana.^[1]

In India, the harvest season begins at this time and so the Mother Goddess is invoked to start the new harvest season and reactivate the vigor and fertility of the soil. This is done through religious performances and rituals which are thought to invoke cosmic forces that rejuvenate the soil. Many people of the Hindu faith observe Dasara through social gatherings and food offerings to the gods at home and in temples throughout Nepal and India.

History[link]

Dasha-Hara is the festival of Victory of Good over Evil. There are many variations to this feat, that are believed all across India.

Victory of god Rama over Ravana

An article related to Hinduism
Hindu • History
Deities Trimurti Brahma • Vishnu • Shiva Devis and Devas Saraswati · Lakshmi · Parvati Shakti · Durga  · Kali Ganesha · Subrahmanya · Ayyappa Rama · Krishna Hanuman Prajapati · Rudra Indra · Agni · Dyaus Bhumi · Varuna · Vayu
Philosophy Concepts Brahman · Om · Ishvara Atman · Maya Karma · Samsara Purusharthas (Dharma · Artha · Kama · Moksha) Nirvana Schools Astika-Orthodox Samkhya · Yoga Nyaya · Vaisheshika Purva mimamsa Uttara mimamsa (Vedanta) (Dvaita, Advaita, Vishishtadvaita) Nastika-Heterodox Charvaka Buddhism Jainism Other Orthodox Schools Pasupata · Saiva Pratyabhijña · Raseśvara Pāṇini Darśana
Scriptures Vedas Rigveda • Yajurveda Samaveda • Atharvaveda Divisions Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka, Upanishad Upavedas Ayurveda • Dhanurveda Gandharvaveda • Sthapatyaveda Vedangas Shiksha · Chandas · Vyakarana Nirukta · Kalpa · Jyotisha Upanishads Rig vedic Aitareya Yajur vedic Brihadaranyaka · Isha Taittiriya · Katha · Shvetashvatara Sama vedic Chandogya · Kena Atharva vedic Mundaka · Mandukya · Prashna Puranas Brahma puranas Brahma · Brahmanda Brahmavaivarta Markandeya · Bhavishya Vaishnava puranas Vishnu · Bhagavata Naradeya · Garuda · Padma Shaiva puranas Shiva · Linga Skanda · Agni · Vayu Itihasas Ramayana · Mahabharata Other scriptures Bhagavat Gita Dharma Shastra · Manusmriti Artha Shastra · Yoga Vasistha Sutras · Stotras · Tantras Yoga Sutra others Classification of scriptures Śruti · Smriti Timeline Hindu texts
Practices Worship Puja · Japa · Bhajana Tapa · Dhyana Yajna · Homa Tirthadana · Naivedhya Temple · Vigraha · Bhakti Samskaras Garbhadhana · Pumsavana · Simantonayana · Jatakarma · Namakarana · Nishkramana · Annaprashana · Chudakarana · Karnavedha · Vidyarambha · Upanayana · Praishartha · Keshanta · Ritushuddhi · Samavartana · Vivaha · Antyeshti Varnashrama Dharma Varna Brahmin · Kshatriya Vaishya · Shudra Ashrama Brahmacharya · Grihastha Vanaprastha · Sanyasa Festivals Navaratri Vijayadashami (Dasara) Deepavali · Shivaratri · Holi Kumbha Mela · Ratha Yatra · Vishu · Bihu · Baisakhi · Puthandu Ganesh Chaturthi · Onam Rama Navami · Janmashtami Raksha Bandhan
Philosophers Ancient Gautama · Angiras · Ashtavakra · Jaimini · Kanada · Kapila · Pāṇini · Patañjali · Uddalaka · Valmiki · Vyasa · Yajnavalkya Medieval Adi Shankara · Basava · Dnyaneshwar · Chaitanya · Gangesha Upadhyaya · Gaudapada · Jayanta Bhatta · Kabir · Kumarila Bhatta · Madhusudana · Madhva · Namdeva · Nimbarka · Prabhakara · Raghunatha Siromani · Ramanuja · Srimanta Sankardeva · Vedanta Desika · Tukaram · Tulsidas · Vachaspati Mishra · Vallabha · Vidyaranya Modern Aurobindo · Coomaraswamy · Dayananda Saraswati · Gandhi · Krishnananda · Narayana Guru · Prabhupada · Ramakrishna · Ramana Maharshi · Radhakrishnan · Sivananda · U. G. Krishnamurti · Vivekananda · Yogananda
Other topics Hindu denominations Hinduism by country Mythology • Hindu calendar Hindu law • Hindu iconography Hindu nationalism • Hindutva Hindu pilgrimage sites Persecution • Criticism Glossary
Hinduism Portal Hindu Mythology Portal v t e

On this day in the Treta Yug, Rama, also called Shri Ram, the seventh incarnation 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 ninja 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 Balmik’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 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 nine 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 ten heads of Ravana as follows:

1. Kama vasana (Lust)
2. Krodha (Anger)
3. Moha (Delusion)
4. Lobha (Greed)
5. Mada (Over Pride)
6. Matsara (Jealousy)
7. Manas (Mind)
8. Buddhi (Intellect)
9. Chitta (Will)
10. Ahankara (Ego).

Some householders perform Yagnas thrice daily along with Sandhya Vandana, which is also called Aahavaneeya Agni, Grahapatya Agni or Dakshina Agni. In addition, the Aditya Homa is performed with the Maha Surya Mantras and the Aruna Prapathaka of the Yajurveda. These mantras are believed to keep the heart, brain and digestive functions in balance in the absence of adequate sunlight in the winter months.

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.

Homecoming of Durga Maata

Daksha, the Lord of the Earth, and his wife Menaka, had a daughter called Sati. As a child, Sati started worshipping Lord Shiva as her would-be-husband. Lord Shiva was pleased with the Sati's worship of him and married her. Daksha was against their marriage but could not prevent it. Daksha arranged a yagna to which everyone except Lord Shiva was invited. Sati, feeling ashamed of her father's behaviour and shocked by the attitude meted towards her husband, killed herself. Lord Shiva was anguished when he discovered this. He lifted Sati's body on his shoulders and started dancing madly. As the supreme power was dancing with wrath, the world was on the verge of destruction.