Vijayadaśamī is a combination of the two words vijaya ( ‘victorious’) and daśamī ( ‘tenth’), connoting the festival on the tenth day celebrating the victory of good over evil.
Vijayadashami is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in Indian subcontinent. In the southern, eastern, northeastern, and some northern states of India, Vijayadashami marks the goddess Durga’s victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura to restore and protect dharma. In the northern, central and western states, the festival is synonymously called Dussehra (also spelled Dasara, Dashahara). It marks the end of fight between Lord Rama and Lanka king Ravan or Dassanan and celebrated as Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana.
