Dusshera is celebrated on the tenth day of the Hindu lunar month of ‘ Ashwin’. This year it is going to celebrate on 17th October 2010.  It marks the end of Navratri and is also known as ‘ Vijaydashmi’. It is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm and energy throughout the country. The word Dusshera literally means that which takes away ten sins. It is observed as victory of good over evil. As it is also the beginning of the new harvest season, mother goddess is evoked to offer her blessing on the strength and fertility of the soil and the new harvest. It is celebrated all over India but in various forms and manner. There are many legends and stories related to this scared festival. Legends: Victory of lord Rama over Ravana: The mighty demon Ravana abducted lord Ram’s wife Sita to Lanka. For nine days Lord Ram prayed and performed ‘yagna’ to invoke the blessing of lord Shiva in order to kill ravana. On the scared day of ‘Ashwin shukla dashmi’ Lord Ram defeated Ravana in a fierce battle. Since then Ram’s victory is celebrated as Vijaydashmi. Victory of goddess Durga over Mahishasur: Mahishasur the mighty demon obtained the power of eternity from lord Shiva and created havoc on earth by killing innocent people and defeated the ‘devas’. In order to get rid of him Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva created a divine power ‘Durga’. Durga fought Mahishasur. The battle raged for nine days. Finally on the tenth day goddess ‘Durga’ defeated ‘Mahishasur’ and the day came to be celebrated as victory of goddess ‘durga’ as Vijaydashmi. Pandavas defeat Kaurawas: ‘Kaurawas’ after twelve years of’ Vanawas’ went for one year of ‘Agyatwas’(disguised living so that nobody could recognize them). Before moving to the city of Virat for completing their Agyatwas they hid their weapons in a hole in a ‘shami tree’. After one year on ‘Vijaydashmi’ they recovered their weapons and defeated the Kaurawas. Since then Shami Trees and Weapons are worshipped on ‘Vijaydashmi’. Celebrations: Rajasthan, craftsmen and artisans start preparing huge effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkaran and his son Meghnath months before Dusshera. On this day a small part of Ramayana is enacted before the huge and magnificent effigies are burnt down. Huge crowd gathers to witness this event. People also believe that together with burning of these effigies they burn their bad deeds and habits. Celebrations in Kota are worth a watch. The 75 feet tall effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnath are burnt down.  Villagers come dressed in colourful dresses to offer their prayers to lord Ram followed by dazzling processions. Artists from all over the country gather here to participate in the gala cultural celebration in the evening. Udaipur: Huge and splendid effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran, and Meghnath are made and erected in Gandhi Ground. People gather in huge numbers to spectator this event. This result in a huge and magnificent celebration and the whole city gets garbed in the extravaganza of the celebration. Rest of the India: Himachal Pradesh, a week long fair is organized in the hill town of Kullu. Deities from small temples are brought down to the possession to pay homage. Karnataka, Mysore palace is illuminated by beautiful lights and a majestic possession is taken out. Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh,