Dusshera also known as Vijayadashami, is a major festival which is celebrated at the end of Navratri every year. It is a celebration that denotes the victory of good over evil. Every year as per Hindu calendar, this important festival is celebrated on the tenth day of the Ashwin month. This year the whole nation will celebrate Dusshera on October 19th. There are many mythological stories that tell why this festival is observed. People all over the country participate in the occasion in their own way, with great zeal and enthusiasm.

The day signifies the triumph of the seventh incarnation of Vishnu – Lord Rama when he killed the ten-headed demon Ravana. The word ‘Dussehra’ is derived from two Sanskrit words – ‘dasha’ and ‘hara’ – which mean defeating the ten. The day also marks the end of Durga Puja, where people worship goddess Durga and recall her victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura to help bring back Dharma.

Goddess Durga fought against Mahishasura for nine days and nine nights and finally killed Mahishasura on the tenth day. Therefore, every year, different manifestations of goddess Durga are worshipped during the nine-day long Navratri festival and the tenth day is celebrated as Vijayadashmi.

Navratri celebration culminates with Dusshera on the tenth day, when the idol of goddess Durga is immersed in a river or a lake. People celebrate the festival in different ways across the country and plays based on the story of Ramayan known as Ramleela is performed. On the day of Vijaydashmi, huge effigies of Ravana, Meghnad, and Kumbhakarn are set on fire.