01What Dussehra is
Dussehra, or Vijayadashami, is the tenth day of the bright half of Ashwin, the day after Sharad Navratri ends, and one of the great festivals of the year across India. Vijaya means victory, and the day marks two in the tradition's accounts: Rama's victory over Ravana, and the goddess Durga's over the buffalo-demon Mahishasura after nine nights of battle. In the north it closes the Ramlila with the burning of Ravana's effigy at dusk; in Bengal it is the day of Durga's farewell; in Mysuru it is the climax of the Dasara procession.
02The story told of it
The Ramayana's account is that Rama, after worshipping the goddess for victory, met Ravana in battle at Lanka and prevailed on the tenth day, which the tradition remembers as the triumph of dharma over pride. The Devi Mahatmya tells of Durga, formed from the combined power of the gods, who fought Mahishasura for nine nights and overcame him on the tenth. The Mahabharata adds a third thread: the Pandavas, ending their year in disguise, took back their weapons from a Shami tree on this day, which is why the Shami is worshipped and its leaves exchanged as gold.
03How it is kept
The day's rites belong to Aparahna, the afternoon: Aparajita Puja to the unconquered goddess, Shami Puja under the Shami tree, and Seema Avalanghan, crossing the village boundary as a sign of setting out. Vijay muhurat, inside that window, is held the most favourable moment of the day for beginning anything new, and many families start a child's learning, buy a vehicle or open accounts then. Weapons and tools are worshipped as Ayudha Puja, and in the evening the effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakarna are burnt to mark the end of the Ramlila.
04How the day is chosen
Vijayadashami is kept on the day Dashami is current in Aparahna, the fourth fifth of the daylight, because Shami Puja, Aparajita Puja and the crossing of the boundary belong to that part of the day. Vijay muhurat is the eleventh of the day's fifteen muhurtas.
05Dussehra in other years
