Dasara Gifts

Dasara Or Dusherra is celebrated as Navratri (nineIn West-Bengal, Navratri is the real lyrics of the Bengali
days). According to Hindu calendar it begins in thelife. This festival is essentially religious in nature. It is
month of October (asveja masam). This festival is fullycelebrated with true devotion. In the time of Durga
dedicated to Durga Mata and in these nine days shePuja huge idols of the Mata Durga posed as killing the
will be worshiped in her nine forms and at the end ofdemon Mahishasura are worshipped in everywhere of
the (9th day) 10th day will be celebrated asthe state. Huge
(Vijayadasami) Dasara'Pandals' are set up everywhere to worship Durga
Dasara is most popular in the west Bengal (Eastern)Mata (Goddess Durga). The tenth day is devoted to
part of India and this is their major festival. The first 3the worship of goddess Durga. She is Shakti, the
days will be worshiped in the form of Durga Mata andcosmic energy that animates all beings. Beautiful idols
the next 3 days will be in the form of Saraswati andof the Mother Goddess are worshipped in elaborate
the final 3 days will be in the form of Lakshmi.pandals for nine days, and on the ninth day, these are
Normally the fifth day of Navratri will be worshiped forcarried out in procession for immersion (visarjan) in a
Saraswati (Goddess of knowledge) to invoke our spiritriver or pond.
and knowledge.WEST
STORIESIn Maharashtra, Navratri celebration is slightly different
Navratri is a combination of various themes with thethan other states. Here Navratri are dedicated to
common summary is victory of good over bad. SomeGoddess Durga while the Vijayadasami is dedicated to
opinion that this festival is celebrated when the lordSaraswati, the goddess of knowledge. This day is
Rama killed the Ravana. According to Puranas theconsidered auspicious to begin education, buy new
mighty demon Mahisasur vanquished the gods andhomes, start new ventures, and weddings. The Dasara
their king, Indra. They then approached the Brahma,of Mysore is also quite famous where caparisoned
Vishnu and Maheshwar, who decided to destroy theelephants lead a colorful procession through the
megalomaniac demon, so they all combined theirgaily-dressed streets of the city. During Navratri
energy, and gave rise to Shakti. They all prayed to theChamundi, the royal deity of the Mysore royalty is
divine mother Durga to do the needful. Equipped withworshipped with pomp and pageantry.
lethal weapons, riding a ferocious lion, the Goddess inNORTH
all her awesome majesty, vanquished the evil oneIn the Kulu valley in Himachal Pradesh, the hill- folk
without much ado. The 10th day on which the goddesscelebrate Dasara with a grand mass ceremony
kills Mahisasur, is celebrated as Dusshera orwherein village deities are taken out in elaborate
Vijayadasami as the victory of good over evil. Dasaraprocessions. In Punjab, Navratri is taken as a period of
(tenth day) is one of the significant Hindu festivals,fasting.
celebrated with much joie de vivre in the entireSOUTH
country.In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, women arrange
Celebrations'Bommai Kolu', a special placing of dolls in various
The festival is also celebrated with intense fervor andcostumes decorated with flowers and ornaments on
zest, in whole India, in the form of Durga Puja. Thespecially prepared steps. Nine young 'kanyas' or virgins
vibrant festivities last for ten days, of which nine nightsare offered new clothes and sweets as the
are spent in worship, 'Navaratri'. But this festival variesgoddesses and married women share flowers,
from place to place.kumkum and snacks among themselves.
EAST