Mysore Dasara celebration
Dasara, also known as Dussehra, is a significant festival celebrated in various forms across India. It symbolizes the victory of good over evil and is celebrated with great enthusiasm and grandeur. Here are some ways it is celebrated:
- Mysore Dasara: This is one of the most famous celebrations during Navratri. The festival lasts for ten days, starting from the first day of Navratri and ending on Vijayadashami. It includes cultural events and processions, and honors Goddess Chamundeshwari. The grand parade on Vijayadashami day is the highlight, featuring elephants, horses, and dancers. The idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari is placed on a golden seat on an elephant, which is the main attraction of the festival.
- Watch the Mysore Dasara Lighting
- Ram Leela: In northern parts of India, plays of Ramayana called Ram Leela are staged throughout the ten days of Dasara, with the effigy of Ravana burned on the 10th day.
- Durga Puja: In the east, idols of Goddess Durga are installed, and prayers are conducted for ten days.
- Vijayadashami: This day celebrates the Hindu god Ram’s vanquishing of the 10-headed demon king Ravan.
Each region in India has its unique way of celebrating this festival, but the underlying significance remains constant: to do away with evil and live in harmony.
Watch the Mysore Dasara parade with elephants
Image credit
Supraja gowda, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons