Dussehra 2012

I reconnected with the fact that I live in India yesterday. What an experience to be at a local celebration of a holiday. Fireworks going off right above your head, some spinning scarily close to your face. Three giant effigies burning down to the ground. Multiple actors dressed up with masks and costumes. A band playing as they parade in. A collection of speeches, most of which I didn't understand. A recounting, in yells, of the story of good defeating evil. It made me happy I had done some research last year, otherwise I wouldn't have had a clue what was going on. A man shot an arrow into the foot of the effigy to set it alight (never mind that there was no fire on the arrow, ignore the man standing on the other side). More fireworks explode and there is a whoosh of fire. Less than 30 seconds later the 20 foot tall effigy is only a small bonfire on the ground. But it was impressive to watch burn. To see the fire climb up and engulf the face until there is nothing left to support the structure. Yes, I experienced a piece of India last night and it reminded me of why I like living overseas with all the inexplicable, uncomfortable and sometimes incomprehensible experiences it brings. Happy Dussehra. Celebrate good triumphing over evil.

Dussehra Holiday

I looked out our office window last Monday to see this giant statue had been erected on the elementary field and maintenance workers were hosing down the field with water. Huh? Asking around a bit I gathered it had something to do with the holiday which was approaching on Thursday, Dussehra. I figured the watering of the ground meant somehow fire was going to be involved, but I was still a bit surprised when during second period I heard some fireworks going on, giving me just enough warning to look out my classroom window and see the statue being enveloped in fire. Okay...clearly I need to do a little research on this holiday if I'm going to understand anything!

Turns out that Dussehra is the end of a 10 day holiday which culminates in a celebration of good triumphing over evil. More specifically, celebrating the victory of Rama (the 7th incarnation of Vishnu) who killed the demon Ravana who had abducted his wife. Of course it required some secret knowledge and the blessing of Durga for Rama to succeed (it also considered a celebration of the Goddess Durga's victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura). During the previous nine days numerous reenactments of Rama's life are performed and on the final day (Dussehra) the victory over evil is symbolized by the burning of the effigy of Ravana (sometimes along with his son and brother) and people are encouraged to similarly burn the evil within themselves and turn to follow a path of truth and goodness. 


I still feel like I'm missing a good portion of what this holiday is really about, and perhaps next year I'll manage to see a bit more than at school, or the random trucks of costumed individuals driving by. In the mean time at least I now know that the Diwali festival of lights which is coming up is also tied to this as the celebration of Rama's return to his home after this victory. I have a feeling there is plenty more for me to figure out though.