Happy Dussehra 2020! Vijayadashami is finally here at the end of the nine-night celebrations of Navratri and Ramlila. While we celebrate this day with some Dussehra Shubhechha images, Dussehra Shubhechha 2020 Marathi wishes, Happy Dussehra wishes, Dasara Chya Hardik Shubhechha banner, Dasara Chya Hardik Shubhechha messages in Marathi, you might want to know about some interesting things about the festival, Vijayadashami is being celebrated all around India.  The day marks the last day of Durga Puja—the significant festival of Bengali. On the day of Dussehra, giant effigies of ten-headed king Ravana is burnt by devotees, in front of thousands of crowds, celebrating the victory of good over evil. The crowd burst into cheers as the effigies are cracked in fiery splendour. But did you know it is not only Ravana’s effigies that are burnt on the day of Dussehra? So, what other effigies are burnt along with Ravana? In this article, we bring you more about the festival of Dussehra that celebrates Lord Rama’s victory over the evil king Ravana.

Dussehra, Dasara or Dashain is a major Hindu festival that is celebrated at the end of Navratri every year. Dussehra comes from two Sanskrit words—‘dasha’ that symbolises the ten heads of Ravana and ‘hara’ which means to defeat. It is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin or Kartik, which typically falls on the Gregorian months of September and October. Marking the end of Ramlila, Dussehra remembers Lord Rama’s victory over Ravan.

Effigies Burnt During Dussehra

Thousands of drama-dance-music plays based on the Ramayan are performed at outdoor fairs and in temporarily built staging grounds that features the effigies of the demons—Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghananda. Kumbhakarna was the younger brother of Ravana and Meghananda was the Prince of Lanka, Ravana’s son. Both of them were considered great warriors during their time and played a significant role in King Ravana’s battle with Lord Rama. All three effigies are burnt on the evening of Vijayadashami-Dussehra.

This year, the festival celebrations have been altered, and people opted digital way to mark the events. While most of the Dussehra events have been cancelled, other places will host small and improvised ceremonies to honour the victory of good over evil.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 25, 2020 11:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).