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Dussehra (Vijayadashami)
The tenth day after Navratri, kept as the victory of good over evil, with new clothes and silk sarees for the day.
What is worn for Dussehra (Vijayadashami)
Dussehra, also called Vijayadashami, falls on the tenth day after Navratri begins. In north India it is the day of Rama's victory over Ravana, marked by Ramlila plays and the burning of tall effigies at dusk. In the south and west it is linked to the goddess and to the start of new learning and work. Families put on new or best clothes and visit relatives and temples. Women often wear silk or festive sarees, and in many places new ventures, books and tools are begun on this day because it is held to be auspicious. In Maharashtra the leaves of the apta tree are exchanged as symbolic gold.
The sarees
Written by the EveryPallu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Vijayadashami" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Sari: Suyash.dwivedi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source