Dussehra 2022: When Is Dussehra? All You Need To Know

The month of October is full of festivals and celebrations all over India. Many private and government banks, offices and schools will remain closed next month due to additional bank holidays.

The most auspicious festival of Dussehra, also known as Vijaydashmi, is around the corner and celebrated with great enthusiasm in India. On this day Lord Rama killed Ravana, and Goddess Durga triumphed over the buffalo Demon Mahishasura. That is why the day is also referred to as the 'victory of good over evil'.

This festival is celebrated every year on the tenth day of Shukla Paksha of Ashwani month which according to the Gregorian calendar falls either in the month of September or October. On this day, effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakaran and his son Meghnath are burnt with fireworks--symbolising the quelling of darkness by light--across the country. Ramlila's stages are based on Ramayan and Ramcharitmanas and are organised for 10 days across the country. As the festival of Dussehra is around the corner people across the country start exchanging happy Dussehra wishes with friends and family.

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People participate on this day with great enthusiasm. It is believed that after Dussehra is celebrated, the feelings of greed and ego disappear from the mind. The festival of Dussehra also marks the beginning of the most auspicious and important festival, Diwali. It also signifies the homecoming of Lord Rama after 14 years of exile which falls after 20 days.

Dussehra 2022 | When is Dussehra? | Dussehra Date & Timing

Dussehra or Vijayadashami is a very important and auspicious festival celebrated by Hindus on the tenth day of Ashwin month (September-October), according to the Hindu calendar, which falls on the tenth day of Navratri. This year, the festival of Dussehra will be celebrated on October 5, 2022, (Wednesday).

This year, the Dashami Tithi of Shukla Paksha of Ashwin month will start on October 4, 2022, (Tuesday), at 2:20 pm and will continue till 12 pm on October 5, 2022 (Wednesday). Shravan Nakshatra will last from 10:51 pm on October 4 to 09.15 pm on October 5.

Dussehra muhurat -

Dashami Tithi starts at 2:20 pm on 4 October 2022.

Dashami Tithi ends at 12 pm on 5 October 2022.

Shravan Nakshatra starts at 10:51 pm on 4 October 2022.

Shravan Nakshatra ends at 9:15 pm on 5 October 2022.

Vijay Muhurta - 02:13 pm to 2:54 pm on 5 October 2022.

Amrit Kaal from 11:33 am to 01:02 pm on 5 October 2022.

Dur muhurta from 11:51 am to 12:38 am on 5 October, 2022.

What is the meaning of Dussehra?

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The word Dussehra comes from Sanskrit words, 'dasha' and 'hara.' Dasha means ten (Ravana had ten heads) and hara means defeat (Lord Rama defeats Ravana). The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil.

Dussehra History and Significance | Why do we celebrate Dussehra?

Dussehra or Vijayadashami is one of the most auspicious and important festivals in India, especially among Hindus it is also celebrated in Nepal and Bangladesh with different traditions, rituals, and great enthusiasm. There are serval stories behind Dussehra and so the festival is celebrated in different ways across India. Despite being known by different names, its essence remains the same--the victory of good over evil. It also signifies the end of negativity and evil within us and the start of new beginnings.

According to the Hindu calendar, the holy festival of Vijayadashami is observed on the tenth day of Shukla Paksha of Ashwin month. This time Vijayadashami is on 15 October 2021, Friday. This festival is celebrated as the victory of truth over falsehood as Lord Ram defeated Ravana and his army in a long battle. It is believed that burning the effigy of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakaran on this day destroys all evils.

People across the country burn the effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhakaran which signifies the end of evil, and celebrate this day with fireworks and lovely feasts.

On the other hand, according to another mythology, there was a demon named Mahishasura, who was a great devotee of Brahma. He had pleased Brahma ji with his hard penance and obtained a boon that no deity or any human living on earth could kill him. After receiving the boon, he became extremely ruthless and arrogant and started creating terror in the universe. He started attacking the gods and defeated them in battle and started capturing their territory.

Disturbed by the terror of Mahishasura, all the gods and goddesses came to the shelter of Brahma, Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Seeing all the gods and goddesses in trouble, Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh gave birth to Goddess Durga with their brilliance. And all the gods together equipped Maa Durga with all kinds of weapons. There was a fierce battle between Maa Durga and Mahishasura for ten days and on the tenth day, Goddess Durga killed Mahishasura The day is celebrated as Vijayadashmi meaning the ¡®victory that was attained on the tenth day¡¯.

Here are two stories that are associated with Dussehra according to Hindu mythology:

1. Lord Rama defeated Ravana

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It is believed that on this day Lord Ram who was considered the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu defeated the ten-headed Ravana, the king of Lanka, because he abducted Lord Ram's wife Sita and took her to his kingdom where he held her captive in hopes of marrying her. According to scriptures when Lord Rama, accompanied by his brother Laxman and an army which included his devotee Hanuman, headed to Lanka to bring back Sita, he worshipped Goddess Durga and got her blessings to defeat Ravana. Then after nine days of a fierce battle with Ravana, Lord Rama finally killed him on the tenth day. Ever since the day is celebrated as Dussehra.

2. Goddess Durga defeated Demon Mahishasura

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The nine-day of worship of Goddess Durga ends on this day, and idols of Goddess Durga along with her children are carried to the nearby river, sea or ocean and immersed. It is believed that on this day Goddess Durga killed the demon Mahishasura and protected the world. Mahishasura got a boon from Lord Brahma that no man or god could kill him.

By misusing his power he started creating terror on earth as well as in heaven. He defeated Indra, the king of heaven, which is when all the gods approached lord Vishnu for help. Then, Lord Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma combined all their powers together to create a female form called Durga-- the incarnation of Goddess Parvati--to defeat the demon because the demon had the boon that no man or god could kill him.

And after a nine-day-long battle Goddess Durga killed the Mahishasura. Devotees worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga during a period called Navratri, which will begin on September 26, 2022, and last till October 5, 2022.

Dussehra celebrations in India

Out of the many festivals celebrated in India, Dussehra or Vijayadashami is one of the most important Hindu festivals celebrated in different parts of the country with great devotion, and different events are organised.

After nine days of Ramlila programs across the country, on the tenth day (Dussehra) effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakaran and Meghnath are burnt in many parts of the country. In some parts 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.

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In Gujarat, people wear colourful clothes, play dandiya, do Garba, the famous folk dance of the state, and worship Goddess Durga. In Bengal, people celebrate the occasion with Durga puja to mark the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasur. In Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district, the festival has been given the status of an International festival by the State Government.

Dussehra Holidays 2022 and places to see grand Dussehra celebrations in India

All the government and private sector Banks, Schools, and Government and Private Offices across the country will be closed on Wednesday, 25 October 2022. Dussehra also known as Vijayadashami and Durga Puja will be celebrated with great pomp in states like - Delhi Ramlila, Kullu Dussehra in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Mysore Dussehra in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kota Dussehra in Rajasthan, Ravan Dahan in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Garba in Gujarat, Dussehra carnival, Madikeri, Karnataka.

List of Other Major Festivals and Holidays in October 2022

Dussehra dates from 2023 to 2028

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