My earliest memories of Dussehra are connected to the place I was born, BITS, Pilani. It’s a small institutional town in Rajasthan, India.
The effigies of the demon Ravana, Kumbhakaran, and Meghanath were burnt near the temple ground. The excitement of Dussehra was doubled, as that was also the day of the annual fair and we could buy all kinds of fun, traditional toys that probably did not last till we reached back home. But that didn’t bother us and year after year we used to look forward to Dussehra.
When my children were growing up, my desire was to help them understand a little about the culture of India. Being into education, I always wanted that they not only understand what Dussehra means but also learn something more too. So every year, probably since they were 10 years old, they used to make an effigy of Ravana in the open space outside our home in NOIDA and burnt it in the evening of Dussehra along with their friends.
First, it was just one foot tall and slowly it started becoming bigger and Kumbhkaran and Meghnath were added too.
Through this, our two children and their friends learned the physics, they learnt the mathematics and of course a lot about co-operation and teamwork.
As the effigy of Ravana was burnt, we all also put all our evil thoughts and bad habits into it.
Well! That was our Dussehra till the children left for college. Then in 2019, I came to know through my in-laws that we do Dussehra puja in the morning and pray to Ravana! That came as a big surprise to me.
We make an outline of Ravana with wheat flour and Kumkum on the floor outside the house. It is believed that Ravana was very knowledgeable and had all the wisdom of the Vedas and the Puranas. So, when Lord Rama’s arrow hit Ravana, he fell on the ground counting his last breath. At that moment, Rama told his brother Lakshman to go and sit on his feet and get all the knowledge from him.
Hence, we make Ravana on the floor and pray to him. We place some kitchen instruments like knives, rolling pin etc., some books and stationery items, or any other thing that helps us gain knowledge beside Ravana.
Also, as it is a ritual in Navratri to grow barley on the first day of Navratri, and we use them for the prayers on Dussehra. According to our scriptures, barley was the first crop after the beginning of creation, so whenever goddesses are worshipped, barley is offered in the havan. In fact, the main reason behind this is that barley is considered as Brahma and we should respect the grain.
These barley saplings have seen 9 nights of Navratri and are called ‘nortein’ which in Hindi means nine nights. On Dussehra day we pull out the little saplings of barley and tie mauli (the red pure thread) and attach them to all the above instruments that help us prosper in life. Along with prasad we eat bottle gourd curd (raita). Furthermore radish, sugarcane and singhada are a part of the offerings.
Barley saplings 9 days old
After prayers, we go around this outline of Ravana with a stick banging the stick on the floor. This is the onset of winters and in the northern part of India, the winters can get very severe. It is just a fun thing to do and legend has it that the banging noise scares the winters.
Layout for dussehra puja
At dusk the same day, we burn the effigy of Ravana. He is considered as a symbol of evil. His ego had overshadowed all his goodness and made him a demon.
In the morning we pray to Ravana for his knowledge and in the evening we burnt his effigy so that all the evil in us is burnt along with that effigy.
My take away is that there’s some good in everyone, and one must incorporate these good qualities and ignore the bad ones.
Ravana effigy