Dussehra is celebrated through out India in different forms. Dussehra means tenth day and it occurs on the 'tenth' day following the
Navratri, during the month of Ashwin or Kartik (September and October). This day is also known as Vijayadashmi because of the victory of
Lord Ram over
Ravana.
Ram Lila. Huge effigies of Ravana are burnt amid the bangs and booms of firecrackers. In West Bengal and other parts of eastern India, Dussehra is celebrated as Durga Puja.
In Mysore, Dussehra marks the victory of the Goddess Chamundi over the demon Mahishasura. Pageants, parades, and music create a kaleidoscope of colour and gaiety and crowds jostle to catch a glimpse of the glittering palace. A colorful procession of soldiers in ceremonial dress, cavalry, infantry, caparisoned elephants and colorful tableaux wend their way from the Mysore palace gates to Bani Mantap, where the torchlight parade and a magnificent display of horsemanship mark the grand finale.
