Festival time is over and we all celebrated. Let me ask you, “What did you celebrate?” Most of you will say, “Vijaya Dashami!” Yes, you are right, but in Tarai they also celebrate Dussehara, symbolizing Ram’s victory over Raavan. Now I hear a group saying, “Yes! Yes Raavan from Ramayan who kidnapped Sita.” We all know that story, but do you know anything else about Raavan? [break]
According to Bhagavat Puran, Raavan and his brother Kumbhakarna were the reincarnations of Jay and Vijay, the gatekeepers to Vaikunth Lok. One day, Sanak, Sanandan, Sanatan, and Sanatkumar, the four manasaputras of Brahma, visited Vaikunth Lok, to meet Vishnu. The strength of their tapasya allowed the Kumars always to appear as children, despite them being very old. Jay and Vijay didn’t recognize the Kumars and stopped them at the gate, thinking they were mere children. This angered the Kumars and they cursed both gatekeepers to be born as mortals on the earth.
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Realizing their mistake, both gatekeepers prayed to Vishnu and requested to reverse the curse. Vishnu in turn told them that the curse couldn’t be reversed. Instead, he gave Jay and Vijay two options. First, to be born seven times on the earth as devotees of Vishnu, and the second, to be born three times as Vishnu’s enemy. Of course, at the end of both sentences, they would regain their stature at the Vaikunth Lok. Jay and Vijay chose the second option because they couldn’t tolerate staying away from Vishnu for seven lives. Jay and Vijay were born as Raavan and Kumbhakarna in the Treta Yug as enemies of Vishnu, to fulfill the curse, to the great sage Vishrav, and his wife, the Daitya princess Kaikesi.
Raavan was born with 10 heads and was called Dashanan. So you see, Dashanan was a Daitya and he belonged to the caste of Brahmins. After the completion of his initial training, Dashanan performed tapasya to Brahma, and cut off his head 10 times as sacrifice. When he sacrificed his head for the 10th time, Brahma appeared and offered him a boon. Dashanan asked for immortality, which Brahma refused, but instead gave him the nectar of immortality. This was stored under his navel. As a result, Dashanan would not die as long as the nectar lasted. Along with it, Dashanan also requested for protection from gods, heavenly spirits, other rakshas, serpents, or wild beasts. Hence none of these could kill him. He considered men so weak that he did not even consider needing protection from them. This made him invincible. Dashanan then wanted Lanka from Kuber and he got it too.
Following his conquest of Lanka, Dashanan attempted to uproot Kailash and take Shiva with him to Lanka. Shiva, annoyed by Dashanan’s arrogance, pressed his little toe on Kailash, pinning him painfully under it. Dashanan’s roar of pain was such that the earth quaked with the sound. He had no way of getting out of the situation, except by pleasing Lord Shiva. So Dashanan composed the Shiva Tandava Stotra in praise of Lord Shiva. This pleased Shiva and gave Dashanan the name ‘Raavan’, meaning “(He) of the terrifying roar.” After this incident, Dashanan was known as Raavan.
Raavan had good qualities too, but his demonic qualities led to his downfall. In due course Raavan acquired enough bad deeds to deserve to be killed by Ram, the avatar of Vishnu. Hence the name ‘Dussehara’ that means the defeat of the one with 10 heads. During Dussehara, Ramleela – the story of Ram – are organized around the city. Artists enact the story of Ramayana in 10 days. On the last day of the festival, i.e. on the 10th day (Vijaya Dashmi), huge effigies of Raavan, Kumbhakarna and Meghnath are burnt with lots of fireworks. In India, the Ramleela Maidan, a large ground located in front of the historic Red Fort in New Delhi, is used for staging Ramleela every year during Dussehara.
Now that you know about Dussehara, have fun telling your friends about it. I am sure you enjoyed this Dashain to the fullest, and I am also sure you saved some sweets, didn’t you? I know some of you are smiling. Keep smiling while you wait for Tihar.
Pokharel is an educationist, consultant and author of several children’s books.
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