Happy Dussehra
Om Sharma
Dear BSNA and GBC Family,
Wishing you and your families a very Happy Dussehra!
Dussehra or Vijay Dashami is the festival that is celebrated to mark the triumph of good over evil. The day is commemorated on the Ashwin Shukla Dashami (10th day) and marks the end of Navaratri. Each of the preceding nine days before Vijay Dashami represents a powerful manifestation of Maa Durga, the goddess of power.
There are many stories associated with the festival of Dussehra. The first one is related to Lord Rama, who fought and won the battle by killing the 10-headed demon king of Lanka, Ravana. This day is celebrated by burning huge effigies of Ravana. The second one suggests that on Vijay Dashami, goddess Durga defeated and beheaded Mahishasura (the buffalo demon) with a trident while riding a tiger. The goddess Shakti (Durga) eliminated him in order to save the world from his evil wrath. Another one is, that the Pandavas who fought evil forces with a set of distinctive weapons. They abandoned their weapons and went into exile for one year. They hid their weapons in a Shami tree and found them at the same place when they returned from exile. They then worshipped the tree before going to a battle, which they won. This epic is also commemorated during Dussehra.
With much fervour and grandeur, different parts of India celebrate Navratri and Dussehra in their own unique ways. During the festival, people in the north of India fast and worship each incarnation of the goddess. People in southern part of Indian observe Navratri by displaying a collection of toys and miniature artifacts they have inherited over generations. The toy exhibition is popularly known as Bombe Habba in Karnataka, Bommala Koluvu in Andhra Pradesh and Golu or Kolu in Tamil Nadu.
Happy Dussehra!
Regards,
Om Sharma
Dr. Om Sharma
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Brahman Samaj of North America (BSNA)
Executive Vice President
Global Brahman Confederation (GBC)
Tel: 908-359-3348