The festival of Dussehra, also called Vijayadashami, celebrates the victory of good over evil, which the defeat of Mahishasur by Goddess Durga and the victory of Lord Ram over Ravan represent. In the epic Ramayan, Lord Ram and his allies battle Ravan, who has abducted Ram’s wife Sita. After a long and fierce battle, Ram eventually defeats Ravan and rescues Mata Sita. Dussehra celebrates this victory of good over evil.
Festivals are like a wake-up call (alarm) reminding you of what is right. Dusshera is one such festival which nudges us about the vices in us. For the 9 days (Navratri), it keeps telling us what is good for us.
To celebrate this festival, many people Fast (refrain from eating) and decide to sacrifice certain habits for 9 days. It could be non-vegetarian food, alcohol, onion, garlic, outside food, adult content etc., as it helps them to manage the 10 vices. During these 9 days, we feel more energetic, light and calm. During these days, restaurants have a deserted look, most non-vegetarian joints are closed, the consumption of alcohol reduces drastically, many eatery shops close for renovation and overall business is down.
After the pious 9 days of Navaratri, on the eve of Dussehra, we burn the effigy of Ravan (having 10 heads). When we burn the effigy, it reflects burning 10 vices in us. They are
jealousy (We always tend to focus on what others have that we don’t)- hatred (a very strong feeling of not liking somebody/something)
- anger (strong uncomfortable response to a perceived provocation)
- arrogance (feelings of superiority over others)
- impulsiveness (Reacting without thought and consequences)
- lethargy (the feeling of being very tired and not having any energy)
- greed (blind obsession with material desires)
- delusion (pre-conceived notions about people or experiences)
- despair (everything is hopeless and there’s no coming back from it)
- indecisiveness (unrealistic expectations, and obsessive perfectionism)
We have a certain percentage of these impurities inside us. It may vary from person to person. It means that what we consume impacts our vices. During these days, we try to be
- Polite
- See good in others
- Control our anger
- Avoid any wrongdoing
- Believe in the divinity of the God
But many of us eagerly wait for Dusshera (10th day) to come as from that day onwards, we are free from the clutches of Navratri fasting. The restaurants buzz with people, you can see long queues outside the alcohol shops, and the business goes high as people jump to their favourite restaurant to eat and drink, what they have been missing for the last 9 days!
It strongly reflects 2 important aspects of our personality.
- How much we value the discipline and experience of 9 days!
- Symbolic representation of our behaviour for ourselves and others!
When Lord Ram was fighting with Ravan, whenever he was cutting one head (one vice), another head would appear (another vice) and it continued many times. Something similar is with us too. These 10 vices are so strong that whatever effort we may make, sooner or later, they will appear in another form.
The one option is to stop after trying good deeds for some time (like 9 days) and go back to our routine and justify why we are doing it this way. Maybe because we think that having serene and harmonious (Satvik) food and thoughts is for a couple of days like going off for a vacation.
The second option is to keep on trying till the time we get success over our desires and body consciousness which can lead to lifelong bliss (as with Bhagwan Ram, who kept on trying, until he came to know that to kill Ravan, he must attack his naval, which is the root of all the vices).
We can continue our lives by following the ritual of 9 days every year and feel convinced and justified by our devotion. Or we can think about what needs to be done so that we can continuously focus on our 10 vices and defeat them forever (like what Lord Ram did with Ravan).
It is true that change is difficult and that while many return to old habits, the challenge is to integrate the lessons of these nine days into daily life. Like, to curb my dependence on tea and coffee, I decided to stop having it every Tuesday. I have my Tuesday blues wherein from Monday onwards, I start dreaming about not having tea the next day and on Wednesday morning, I feel as if I am freed from prison!
There are certain steps which we can practice every day so that rather than working on each vice, we can work on the root and live a fulfilling and virtuous life. They are
- Acceptance: When we accept our circumstances and ourselves, we reduce stress and frustration. It enables us to move forward rather than getting stuck in denial or self-criticism.
- Self-Belief: A strong sense of self-belief empowers us to embrace opportunities, handle criticism constructively, and bounce back from setbacks.
- Self-Talk: Healthy self-talk improves our mental health by reducing anxiety and building emotional resilience.
- Be Mindful: By being mindful, we become more attuned to our emotions and actions, which leads to improved self-regulation.
- Soul Conscious: When we are soul-conscious, we develop a higher level of awareness and purpose, which helps us navigate life with more wisdom, humility, and love
Conclusion:
The overall intent is to go beyond the temporary discipline practised during festivals like Navratri and Dussehra and apply the lessons learned about managing vices to their daily lives. Rather than just engaging in self-restraint for nine days, we should continuously work on overcoming their vices and lead a more virtuous life for sustained personal growth and transformation rather than a short-term change, as the true victory over one’s vices, like Lord Ram’s defeat of Ravan, requires consistent effort and self-awareness.