Dussehra Celebrations in India:From Mysore to Kullu, Exploring the Various Celebrations
-Bhoomee Vats
Navratri is a major festival filled with symbolism about destroying evil and selfish nature, and about having deep respect for all aspects of life, including the things and objects that contribute to our well-being. The nine days of Navratri are divided on the basis of the three basic qualities of tamas, rajas, and sattva. The first three days are considered to be tamas, where the goddess is fierce, like Durga and Kali. The next three days are considered to be Lakshmi-related, including gentle but materially oriented goddesses. The last three days are dedicated to Saraswati, which is sattva and is therefore related to knowledge and enlightenment.
Worshipping these three goddesses will change your life in some specific ways. If you invest in tamas, you will be powerful and confident. If you invest in rajas, you will have a healthy life with all your basic needs provided for. If you invest in sattva, you will have a tremendous amount of knowledge and enlightenment. But going beyond all this, it no longer remains just about power but changes into liberation and transcendence. After Navratri, the tenth and final day is Vijayadashami, which means you have conquered all these three qualities. You did not give in to any of them; you saw through every one of them. You participated in every one of them, but you did get caught up in the circle of life. You won over them. That is Vijayadashami, the day of victory. This brings home the message of how being in reverence and gratitude towards everything that matters in our lives leads to success and victory. The following are some types of Dussehra:
Mysore Dasara
Dasara in Mysuru is celebrated with great pomp and show in order to commemorate the event from which the city got its very name. As the legend goes, Goddess Chamundeshwari (also called Durga) had killed the demon Mahishasura, and this iconic event is celebrated to date with much grandeur. This royal affair stands out in the Dussehra celebration in India for its majestic processions. The Goddess is revered as a warrior, and hence, many military parades, cultural performances, and athletic contests take place as a part of the Dussehra celebration. The Mysuru Palace is brilliantly lit, and the special Durbar there is attended by the members of the royal family and by the masses. Do not miss out on the majestic Dasara procession that floods the streets of the city on this auspicious day. It is more popularly known as the Jumbo Savari and is totally a sight to behold.
Ahmedabad Dussehra
In Ahmedabad the festival of Dussehra is celebrated as Navratri in the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. You can find people engaging in Garba, the main folk dance of the state, throughout the 9 days of Navratra. People get together and dance to the tune of traditional folk songs, while playing with sticks in their hands for the Dussehra celebration. The fusion of devotion and dance makes it a key highlight of the Dussehra celebration in India. They wear their traditional clothes, with men sporting Kedias and women looking vibrant in their Lehenga Cholis, bringing the city to life with colour and energy. The Dussehra of Ahmedabad is incomplete without their famous Garba dance that especially goes on throughout the night after the aarti of Goddess Durga has been performed.
Kullu Dussehra
In Kullu in Himachal, the festival of Dussehra is celebrated with great vigor for a straight 7 days. The Dhalpur Maidan turns into a hub for the loud celebrations that focus primarily on the worship of Lord Raghunath. A huge procession goes out with the villagers taking the idols of local gods and goddesses to the main ground for the festival. The entire Kullu valley looks very bright and colorful during the Dussehra celebration week, full of cheerful festivities and joy. Attend the wonderful procession that illuminates the town on this day. Also, the festival concludes with the performance of Lankadahan (burning of Lanka) by the side of the Beas River, which you must totally witness.
Delhi Dussehra
The capital city of Delhi celebrates Dussehra in a spectacularly lively manner. The defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama is commemorated by replicating the event in parks, streets, and grounds all around the city. The capital city’s grandeur adds to the charm of the Dussehra celebration in India. During the nine days leading up to the actual Vijayadashmi, you will see temples around the city beautifully decorated, and hear religious music crooning all around. Ram Leela (or theatrical depiction of Ramayana) is performed almost at every nook and corner, while most people in the city observe nine days of fasting during the Dussehra celebration.
Punjab Dussehra
The people of Punjab celebrate Dussehra by honoring the Goddess Shakti. Most of them observe fast for the first seven days of Navratri, after which they perform Jagraata, that is, singing devotional songs throughout the night. On the eighth day, that is called Ashtami, they break their fast by arranging a Bhandara or Kanjak for nine young girls, worshipping them all the while. The spiritual energy and vibrant gatherings here reflect the unique spirit of the Dussehra celebration in India.
Hyderabad’s Bathukamma
The City of Nizams celebrates Dussehra in the form of a beautiful festival dedicated to the Goddess Gauri called Bathukamma. The name literally means ‘Mother Goddess, Come Alive’. The festival is celebrated with much oomph across the state of Telangana and in parts of Andhra Pradesh. Lord Ganesha is worshipped, and women dance around a temple gopuram that has been made by stacking seven concentric circles of wood over one another in a flower-like arrangement. The festival starts on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya and ends on Ashwayuja Ashtami (also called Durgashtami). Each day of the festival is named after the kind of food given to the deity on that specific day.
Bastar Dussehra
Bastar Dussehra is one of the most important festivals celebrated in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, India. While the usual Dussehra festivities celebrate Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana, Bastar Dussehra is dedicated to the worship of local deities, especially Goddess Danteshwari. The celebration of this festival goes on for seventy-five days, making it one of the longest festivals celebrated in the world. It usually starts during the Hindu month of Shravan, which is from July to August, and continues until Ashwin, which lasts from September to October. It includes various rituals and events spread across the period of seventy-five days. It has a history that spans over 600 years, making it one of the oldest and most unique festivals in India. It was initiated by the Kakatiya dynasty and has been preserved and celebrated by the local tribal communities ever since. The festival is deeply rooted in the spiritual beliefs of the Bastar tribes, who honor Goddess Danteshwari as their protector and guide. The cultural importance of Bastar Dussehra lies in its ability to unite the diverse tribes of Bastar, showcasing their traditional customs, music, and dance in a grand celebration of devotion and community spirit.
Kulasai Dasara
This Dussehra is held between September and October, and its celebrations transform the town of Kulasekarapattinam into a kaleidoscope of colour, as many devotees gather at the Arulmigu Mutharamman Devi Temple, dressed in vibrant, multicoloured attire. The Arulmigu Mutharamman Devi Temple itself is a historic monument, which was built over 300 years ago during the reign of King Maravarman Kulasekaran. This temple is dedicated to Goddess Mutharamman, who is believed to safeguard the village and protect its residents. During the festival, the Goddess is carried on various vehicles, or vahanams, in a grand journey that takes place each day of the celebration.
The festival’s whole magic lies in the devotees’ elaborate costumes, where they represent celestial deities such as Goddess Kali, as well as kings, monkeys, and gypsies. Decorated in body paint and bold makeup, they act like the divine powers of the deities they represent. In keeping with an ancient tradition, they offer predictions and receive alms from worshippers, which are then donated to the Goddess. With lakhs of visitors descending upon the village each year, the Dasara celebrations in Kulasekarapattinam are a spectacle not to be missed—a true celebration of culture, devotion, and vibrant tradition.
