Dussehra, the tenth day of the bright half of Aso, follows the last night of Navratri. In Gujarat the day begins at the farsan shop: the whole state breakfasts on fafda, crisp strips of gram flour, with hot jalebi and papaya chutney, and shops sell them by the tonne. Vehicles, tools and weapons are worshipped, new cars are delivered by the thousand, and in the evening Ravana is burned.
The story
It is the day of Rama's victory and of the goddess's. The custom of fafda-jalebi has several explanations, one that Rama liked jalebi, another that a fast should be broken with gram flour; the plain fact is that after nine nights of dancing everyone is hungry.
The dancing is not quite over. Five days later, on Sharad Poonam, a last garba is danced under the full moon, and dudh-pauva, beaten rice in milk left in the moonlight, is eaten at midnight.
How it is kept
- Fafda-jalebiBought fresh before breakfast.
- Shastra pujaWeapons, tools, machines and vehicles are garlanded and worshipped.
- New purchasesAn auspicious day for a vehicle, a house or gold.
- Ravan DahanThe effigy is burned at dusk.
- Sharad PoonamThe garba of the full moon, with dudh-pauva.
Why this date
Dussehra is the Dashami of the bright half of Aso, on the day it prevails in the afternoon.
Dussehra in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Thursday | |
| 2026 | Tuesday | |
| 2027 | Saturday | |
| 2028 | Wednesday | |
| 2029 | Tuesday | |
| 2030 | Sunday |
More Gujarati festivals
19 OctoberNavratri Nomનોમ · મહા નવમી
29 OctoberKarva Chauthકરવા ચોથ
8 NovemberDiwaliદિવાળી
19 OctoberNavratri and Athamનવરાત્રી · આઠમ
14 SeptemberGanesh Chaturthiગણેશ ચતુર્થી
10 NovemberBestu Varasબેસતું વર્ષ
Where to see Dussehra
In Gujarat
- AhmedabadGujaratThe fafda queues of the old city, and Ravan Dahan on the riverfront.
- VadodaraGujaratThe Gaekwads' Dussehra, once a royal procession from the Laxmi Vilas Palace.
- BhujGujaratThe old capital of Kutch, where the royal house kept the day with a procession to the Ashapura temple.
Across India
- MysuruKarnatakaThe Jamboo Savari, a procession of caparisoned elephants.
- KulluHimachal PradeshThe valley's week-long Dussehra begins.
- DelhiDelhiThe burning of Ravana at the Ramlila grounds.