This Dusshera, I stood with a big crowd, all waiting to see Ravana burn. The excitement was high, like everyone had been waiting for this for a long time. When the first cracker went off, people cheered loudly.
There was smoke and noise everywhere. As Ravana finally burned, the crowd got even more excited, cheering as the flames went higher. Then, just like that, it was over. The crowd, now happy, quietly went back home.
But as I watched, I wondered: what are we really getting from this? It seemed like Dusshera was just about fun and excitement. I started thinking—do people remember why we burn Ravana?
No one talked about it. I didn’t hear anyone say they would try to remove a bad habit from their life. Instead, we had noise and smoke. And the next day, many will probably complain about the air.
And this applies to all of us, including me. I am part of the crowd too, caught up in the excitement and the cheers.
Dusshera is really about more than just fun. It’s about showing how good wins over bad, like light over darkness. Burning Ravana means letting go of bad things like anger and pride. It’s a time to think about how we can become better. If we remember this, Dusshera could be more than just a night of crackers and smoke. It could help us find peace and joy.
Traditionally, burning Ravana signifies the destruction of negativity, ego, and all those traits that hold us back from leading a life of virtue.
Dusshera is meant to inspire us to look inward, to confront the Ravanas within ourselves. It’s a time to commit to personal growth and to letting go of the qualities that don’t serve us. If we truly embraced this message, Dusshera could be more than a night of noise and smoke—it could be a transformative experience that brings us closer to peace, love, and spiritual wisdom.
Maybe it’s time we remember this. Instead of just cheering, we could each think of one bad habit we want to change. That is the true meaning of Dusshera.
Your views?
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