Why is Dussehra significant to us?

Understanding the significance of Dussehra helps in unlocking several truths about the festival.

All our folklore is centred around one dominant theme: the victory of good over evil. Even all the fairy tales and children’s stories that we have grown up hearing have this concept at their core. We are conditioned to believe that goodness eventually triumphs over evil, no matter how hard the journey or how difficult the circumstances. Hence, our festivals also reflect this same philosophy as they bind entire communities together in celebration.

Dussehra is one such festival. It is celebrated all over India in different ways. It represents the triumph of Lord Rama over the 10-headed rakshasa king Ravana. The day is also known as Vijayadashama (The day of victory) and is believed to be the culmination of Lord Rama’s successful battle with Ravana over 10 days of war. It is hence, an auspicious day that is waited for with bated breath by those who wish to launch new ventures.

There is fasting for nine days leading up to Dussehra, with the 10^th day being one of celebration. Since the day is considered an auspicious one, it is time to take stock of the year gone by and venerate the tools of our trade – hence, parents encourage children to lay flowers and vermillion on their study books, businessmen ‘bless’ their accounts, workmen worship their tools and new houses or offices are opened on this day.

The festival of Dussehra has many literal manifestations – take a cue from the Ravana Dahana festivities and Ram Leela celebrations all over the country – but it is also a time for the deepest introspection. Though the exploits of Rama make for a great story, they also urge the listener to imbibe the qualities of goodness, truth, humility and loyalty. They teach the importance of staying on the right path of justice and truth, and of staying away from evil at all times.

It also explains the philosophy of brotherhood, never coveting what belongs to another, and to always be respectful of all living things. At a more spiritual level, people believe that Dussehra also indicates that whenever society falls into chaos and evil spreads its tentacles far and wide, a time comes when God descends on Earth to restore order to things. He appears in front of His ardent devotees to offer salvation and a new direction to weed out corruption in both thoughts and actions.

Thus, Dussehra is not just an occasion for buying new clothes and eating sweets – it is a day to count one’s blessings and cleanse one’s heart and mind of all evil.

5 Bollywood Devotional Songs for Lord Ganesha

Did you know that Lord Ganesha is the most recognized Indian God around the world? This elephant headed God is a symbol of good fortune, rewarding devotees with success and prosperity. When we start prayers, he is the first one to be honoured. His images have been created in almost every innovative way possible. Lord Ganesha is also known to destroy pride, vanity and selfishness.

At times when we feel depressed and can't seem to overcome our problems, praying to Lord Ganesha is believed to give hope and relax the puzzled mind. Starting the day by remembering Him is also said to give peace and boost one’s energy. Bollywood offers numerous Hindi songs in honour of our loving 'Maruti', as He is also known.

Songs for the God of Hope and Peace

1. Sindoor Lal Chadayo: This truly devotional song is from the film Vaastav starring Sanjay Dutt and Namrata Shirodkar. Sung by Ravindra Sathe, this aarti holds the true essence of Lord Ganesha. An adrenaline rush runs through the body listening to this high energy song. The constant beats, in the form of clapping hands, complements the lyrics.  

2. Deva Shree Ganesha: Standing in front of a huge Ganpati idol, Hrithik Roshan sings in His honour. This fast paced number will certainly give you goosebumps. The song overshadowed all other songs from the film Agneepath. Sung by Ajay Gogavale (or Ajay-Atul), the lyrics are written by Amitabh Bhattacharya. 

3. Morya Re: This high energy song is from the movie Don starring Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra. The dhol beats infuse a desi touch to the song. It is sung by the very talented Shankar Mahadevan and the lyrics are written by Javed Akhtar. Mahadevan's forceful voice adds to the beauty of this song. 

4. Deva Ho Deva Ganpati: With dholak beats and manjeera twangs, this song has energetic dance moves by Mithun Chakravorty and Amjad Khan. This is a classic from the 1981 film, Hum se Badhkar Kaun. The song gained huge popularity in the 90s, since there were no other songs in matching its energy. This wonderful number was sung by Shailender Singh, Asha Bhosle, Mohammad Rafi and Bhupinder. 

5. Shree Ganeshay Dhimahi: Again rendered in the reverberating voice of Shankar Mahadevan, this song is from Viruddh, starring Amitabh Bachchan and Sharmila Tagore. The song has a positive energy that will make you forget your worries and make you feel hopeful. It is not just a song but a divine experience. 

Enlighten your soul and find mental peace with these Bollywood devotional songs

Bhakti Yoga – The path to divinity

Experience what it means to get close to God with the daily practice of Bhakti Yoga.

Indian traditions and cultural mores are replete with one important premise: devotion to God. Each of our spiritual and religious practices imbibe the spirit of a higher being above our level of understanding. This concept can be further refined within the realms of Bhakti Yoga, which stresses the undying devotion and love for one’s creator or a supreme being that a person has complete faith in.

Bhakti Yoga is viewed as the one true path to spiritual enlightenment. It finds place among the four ‘temperaments’ ascribed to the practice of yoga, such as Jnana Yoga (Intellectual temperament), Raya Yoga (Scientific temperament), Karma Yoga (Active temperament) and Bhakti Yoga (Emotional temperament).

The core philosophy of Bhakti Yoga

Bhakti Yoga believes that there may be many ways to attain deification and spiritual happiness, but there is only one way to reach God. This way is the path of truth, grace and unselfish devotion to God. Any act that results in reaching closer to God is underlined by Bhakti.

However, Bhakti Yoga realises that each person may have their own interpretation of God, or who their creator is, or indeed, whom they should place their faith in. It also recognises that each person may have their own way to practice their bhakti for God. Hence, there are no rigid rules about practicing yoga or meditation techniques. The only requirement is that one focuses their concentration on God.

It also emphasises a deeper appreciation of the world by loving all of God’s creatures equally and opening your heart to love and beauty in the world wherever you may find it. Seeing the beauty in the world despite all its problems and tragedies is the first step towards reaching a perfected, elevated state of mind that is the way to reach God.

With regular practice of Bhakti Yoga, you can combine the pure force of love and devotion to achieve the highest pinnacle of divinity. You become more gracious, tolerant, quieter and more accepting of the world. Also, Bhakti Yoga infuses enough love in one’s heart to overpower all negative emotions and insecurities. In short, it is a divine power that can move a person from their current state to a blissful, exalted one.