Dussehra
Besides Bengal and Central India, Dussehra Parva is celebrated in other Indian states with equal zeal and enthusiasm though with regional differences. The nine days preceding Dussehra in Tamil Nadu have been equally divided for worshipping the three Goddesses namely Lakshmi (the first three days are dedicated to the Goddess of wealth and prosperity), Saraswati (the next three days are dedicated to the Goddess of learning and arts) and Durga (the last three days are dedicated to Mother Goddess, Shakti). The women and children of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka arrange dolls known as Bommai Kolu on artificial steps and decorate the steps and the nearby place with beautiful lamps and flowers. Though, traditionally, only women took part in the festivities, exchanged gifts comprising of coconuts, clothes and sweets and visited their friends and acquaintances during these 10 days of the festival but now men also join and enjoy the activities of the festival. From the very first day of the festival, songs and stories form a part of the celebration and a dish made out of chickpeas known as 'choondal' is made for the dolls to relish. Vijayadashmi is the day when the whole set up is taken down and is considered very auspicious, especially for the children to begin their education in classical dance and music. Children also pay homage to their teachers on this day.
Dussehra is welcome in Punjab after nine days of fasting during Navratri while Garba dance and music reigns the evenings and nights of Gujarat during the ten days of the festival. Here, the women dance to the tunes of the rhythmic clapping of hands as they dance around the earthen lamp, singing devotional songs in the honor of the Mother Goddess. Ramalila is the backbone of the celebration in northern India, where the scenes from Rama's life are depicted, especially Bharat Milap, the reunion of Ram with his brother Bharat, the destruction of Ravana (the highlight of Dussehra) and the return of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita to Ayodhya, their kingdom after fourteen years of exile. In Himachal Pradesh's Kulu valley, the mass ceremonial festivities and grand processions of the village deities of the hill people marks Dussehra while Mysore is famous for a gala procession of richly bedecked elephants on the brightly lit streets of the city on Dussehra.
Vasant Panchmi :: Baisakhi :: Buddha Purnima :: Cristmas :: Desert Festival :: Diwali :: Dussehra :: Easter :: Ganesh Chaturti :: Gangaur :: Good Friday : :Gurupurab :: Holi :: Id-Ui-Fitr :: Id-Ul-Zuha :: Janmashtami :: Kumbh Mela :: Muharram :: Nagaur Fair :: Navratri :: Onam :: Pushkar Fair :: Ram Navami ::Shivaratri :: Teej :: Vishu