dasara festival

Dasara

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Dasara procession in Mysore

Dasara, derived from the Sanskrit Dasha-hara meaning "remover of bad fate", is among the most important festivals celebrated in India. Regional spellings include Dashera, Dussera and Dussehra. A Persian ambassador, Abdur Razzaq, was invited to witness the Dasara festival during 1442—43 AD by Vijayanagara emperor Deva Raya II,^[1] Abdur Razzaq reported the Dasara observance in his book, entitled Matla-us-Sadain wa Majma-ul-Bahrain (The Rise of the Two auspicious constellations and the Confluence of the Two Oceans), a major work, which contained an overview of the history of this part of the world from 1304 to 1470.^[2] Dasara celebrates the triumph of good over evil.
Specifically, it may refer to:

• in South India, the ten-day festival of Navratri as a whole
  • in Mysore, Mysore Dasara
  • in Madikeri, Madikeri Dasara
• in Nepal, the 15-day festival of Dashain
• in North India, the tenth day of the festival, Vijayadashami
• in Himachal Pradesh, a seven-day festival starting on that day, Kullu Dussehra

See also

• uja, the five- or six-day festival celebrated in Eastern India and elsewhere
• Dasara Elephants, an integral part of the Mysore Dasara festival
• Navrati