Dussehra Festival Celebrations

Dussehra falls immediately at the end of the nine-day Navratri celebrations. During the nine days of Navratri, there is a tradition of carrying out Ramlilas. Ramlilas are stage pays, as a part of which actors performs the real life depiction of Lord Rama, and his life journey till the time of his victory over Ravan. Ramlilas are very much intact and popular part of Dussehra celebrations, as lot of people along with their families and friends eagerly looks forwards to the Ramlilas.

Bengalis celebrate the festival of Dussehra or Vijaydashmi by immersing the idol of Goddess Durga in water. The engrossing of the idol of Goddess Durga symbolizes is done with a belief that Goddess Durga is making a visit to her parents. Durga is believed to be n adopted daughter of Bengalis, and it is during this time when she is believed to make a visit to her parents’ home. Bengalis highly belief that all those who put in their true devotion and worship in dedication to Goddess Durga, get conferred with her blessings, gets conferred with immense happiness, and gets liberated from all sorrows.

Dussehra Festival 2011: Worship Ceremony

The festival of Dussehra or Vijaydashmi involves a comparatively complex worship process, which however is very much an intact part of the rituals of Dussehra. Usually, a priest carries out the entire worship process. The process of Dussehra pooja requires an entire list of items such as cow dung, limestone, rice, flowers, kheer, incense sticks, dhoop, deep, and all other basic pooja requirements. The priest draws the symbol of Lord Ganesh with the help of cow dung, and then draws two saucers, for later placing pooja items in it. It is followed by the prayers and worships. In the end, fruits and deities are offered as Bhog to the deity, and later on is distributed among the devotees and more prominently among poor as Prasad. Also, Brahmin Bhoj, i.e. a food feast for Brahmins and priests is conducted.

Apart from ensuring yourself to the traditions and rituals of Dussehra or Vijaydashmi, you can also see it as an auspicious opportunity to buy yourself anything new. Dussehra is also considered to be a propitious time when one should offer prayers and worships to machinery, vehicles, arms, weapons, and tools. Also, there is a ritual of exchanging festive gifts with friends, families, and neighbors, with clothes and sweets being considered to be the most appropriate one. Also, presenting Ram Darbar or gold coins and silver coins with the image of Lord Rama as gifts of Dussehra is also considered to be good. People also decorate their workplace and house with the Torans flowers.