From pandal-hopping to playing Garba to those catchy tunes with your friends, the 9-day long festival of Navratri is a largely celebrated festival across India. Due to such a great mix of cultures, Indians celebrate several festivals all year round and several times the same festival is celebrated in different parts of the country in different styles and under different names. At the end of 9-days of Navratri celebrations, the 10th day is celebrated as Dussehra. After 2 years of the Covid doom, Indians are back in their original element of celebrating Dussehra 2022.
Read further to know more about the dates, history, significance, etc for Dussehra 2022.
The festival of Dussehra, also known as ‘Vijayadashami’, is celebrated with great splendor and enthusiasm across the country. Dussehra is celebrated every year on the 10th day of Shukla Paksha of the Ashwani month of the Hindu calendar. So, according to the Gregorian calendar it falls between September and October.
Dussehra 2022 Dates & Timings:
According to the Hindu calendar, the date for Dussehra 2022, the 10th day of Navaratri, is October 5, 2022 (Wednesday). The Dashami Tithi for Dussehra 2022 will start on October 4, 2022 (Tuesday) at 2:20 pm and will continue till 12 pm on October 5, 2022.
Meaning Of Dussehra:
Dussehra is a Sanskrit word deriving from the two words- ‘Dasha’ and ‘Hara’. The word ‘Dahsa’ means ten (in context, the ten heads of Ravana) and the word ‘Hara’ means defeat. The festival of Dussehra symbolises the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama which means the victory of good over evil.
History & Significance Of Dussehra:
Dussehra is celebrated not only across India but also in nearby states of Nepal and Bangladesh, with slight variations in transitions and rituals but the same level of enthusiasm.
There are two mythologies attached to the origin story of Dussehra:
1. Lord Rama defeating Ravana:
According to the story of Ramayan, on this day Lord Rama, the 8th incarnation of Lord Vishnu defeated the king of Lanka, the ten-headed Ravana. Ravana had abducted and kept Ram’s wife Sita captive in his kingdom to marry her. Ram and his army came to Lanka to free Sita. After battling for 9-days Lord Rama was able to finally kill Ravana on the tenth day, killing the evil and ever since the day is celebrated as Dussehra. 21 days from Dussehra is celebrated as Diwali because it took Lord Rama and his army 21 days to return to Ayodhya from Lanka.
2. Goddess Durga defeating Demon Mahishasura:
For the nine days of Navratri Goddess Durga is worshipped and on the tenth day, her idols are immersed in a nearby river, sea or ocean. Demon Mahishasura got a boon from Lord Brahma that no man or god could kill him. Mahishasur started misusing his power rating havoc on earth. To defeat him, Lord Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma combined all their powers to create a female form- Durga. After a 9-day long battle, Goddess Durga killed the Demon Mahishasura and protected the world. Hence, every year she is worshipped for 9 days leading to the tenth day of Dussehra.
Navratri Colours 2022:
Day 1- Sept 26 (Monday) – White
White is worn on the Pratipada Tithi and it symbolises peace, purity and prayer in the devotee’s hearts.
Day 2- Sept 27 (Tuesday) – Red
Red is worn on the Dwitiya Tithi and it symbolises not only action and vigour but also the anger of gods essential to uproot evil.
Day 3- Sept 28 (Wednesday) – Royal Blue
Royal Blue is worn on the Tritiya Tithi and it symbolises the divine energy of the gods.
Day 4- Sept 29 (Thursday) – Yellow
Yellow is worn on the Chaturthi Tithi and it symbolises brightness, joy and cheerfulness.
Day 5- Sept 30 (Friday) – Green
Green is worn on the Panchami Tithi and it symbolises mother nature, growth and energy.
Day 6- Oct 1 (Saturday) – Grey
Grey is worn on the Shashti Tithi and it symbolises the gods’ moods, ever ready to fight the fos of their devotees.
Day 7- Oct 2 (Sunday) – Orange
Orange is worn on the Saptmani Tithi and it symbolises luminosity, tranquillity, energy and brightness.
Day 8- Oct 3 (Monday) – Peacock Green
Peacock Green is worn on the Ashtami Tithi and it symbolises the desires and wishes that get fulfilled.
Day 9- Oct 4 (Tuesday) – Pink
Pink is worn on the Navami Tithi and it symbolises freshness and compassion.
Dussehra 2022 Celebrations In Different States Of India:
Dussehra might be a one-day festival but the celebrations are 10 days long including Navratri. There are a lot of pujas, rituals, food stalls, Garba, Ramlila acts, burning Ravana effigies, etc. involved in the celebration of Dussehra. Now each of the Indian states celebrates this festival differently, some worship different gods and some follow different traditions. Let us have a look at how different Indian states plan to celebrate Dussehra 2022 differently.
West Bengal:
Image Credit: Abhishek Sah Pho
West Bengal is the most prized place in entire India to witness this festival. The first nine days of the festival are celebrated with Durga Puja festivities. Goddess Durga is worshipped here with large pandals adorned with her idols. Durga Pujo is a major festive time in West Bengal. There is a spiritual aura around the state with chants of the ‘dhaak’ resounding in the air, crowded streets with devotees visiting one Durga pandal after the other markets busy with puja festive shopping, lights, food stalls and most important the ‘prasad’ offered to Durga Maa. There is no better place to experience the Durga Puja vibes other than West Bengal. Experience this uplifting spiritual aura in person with our West Bengal tour packages.
Gujarat:
Image Credit: abpLIVE
In Gujarat, there is much more than pujas and rituals. People worship Maa Shakti (a Hindu deity) during this period of nine days. However, the highlight of Navratri in Gujarat is people dressed in colourful clothes, playing dandiya and dancing to catchy tunes in the unique musical event called ‘Dandiya Raas’. If you are a fan of cultural activities like dances and songs, visit Gujarat with our Gujarat tour packages and enjoy the festivity.
Maharashtra:
Image Credit: News18
Similar to Gujarat, devotees worship Maa Shakti in Maharashtra. ‘Dandiya Raas’ and ‘Garba Nights’ have become popular here over the years with huge events happening across Mumbai. With the Maharashtra tour packages, you can not only enjoy the Dussehra festival but also explore the end-of-monsoon weather here.
Delhi:
Image Credit: Aajtak
Delhi witnesses some huge pandals in some important locations, however, over the years the number of community pandals has increased. In Delhi, Ramlila programmes are a huge hit and can be seen in various localities. The Ramlila Maidan of Delhi is an important spot for the programme and also burning the effigy of Ravan and fireworks.
Uttar Pradesh:
Image Credit: New Indian Express
Uttar Pradesh sees the biggest influx of devotees as it houses important sites to Lord Rama like Ayodhya, Varanasi and Ram Nagar. You can visit these religious sites with our Uttar Pradesh tour packages.
Some other Indian states too celebrate Dussehra. Kullu in Himachal Pradesh has a week-long Vijaya Dashami festival celebration. In ‘South India’ they celebrate ‘Dashara’ worshipping Goddess Chamundeshwari.
However, you will be shocked to hear that in some places like Kolar in Karnataka, Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh, Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh and Baijnath in Himachal, people worship Ravana on this day.
Tell us in the comments in which state of India you would like to celebrate Dussehra 2022. Can’t decide? Pick any of the states from our India tour packages and just enjoy the holiday spirit.
Read further:
- Unique Ways Travelers Can Celebrate Raksha Bandhan
- Independence Day 2022: How India Plans On Celebrating The Grand Occasion
- Ganesh Chaturthi 2022: In India And Around The World
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