DUSSEHRA CELEBRATION IN USA - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

Dancing the garba and playing dandiya during Navratri are the most mesmerizing moments for anyone, and it all concludes with the Dussehra celebration on the tenth day after Navratri begins. Dussehra in the USA is widely known as Vijayadashmi, as Goddess Durga emerged victorious over the evil demon Mahishasura and restored dharma. Indians celebrate this festival differently as per their traditions, but it has gone beyond the boundaries. Nowadays, the Dussehra festival is celebrated globally wherever Hindu communities live and honor their heritage. The USA, the UK, Canada, and Australia all have major celebrations of this festival.

The Dussehra celebration in New Jersey, which is in the state of New Jersey, is the biggest in the nation. Dussehra is called by many names across different regions of India, and it is celebrated for different reasons as well. Most of the stories behind the Dassera celebration are about Durga Maa, the Ramayana, or the Mahabharata. In Hindu tradition, it is believed that this festival commemorates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, the evil king of the Lanka kingdom.

WHY, HOW, AND WHEN IS DUSSEHRA CELEBRATED?

According to the Ramayana, Ravana kidnapped Lord Rama’s wife, Sita, and abducted her to Lanka. He fought a long battle with Ravana and finally killed him, and Sita was freed. This auspicious day is remembered as what all Hindus celebrate in India and abroad as Dussehra. On this same day when Lord Rama killed Ravana, according to the Mahabharata, Prince Arjuna was victorious against a large army of Kuru, and this victory came to be known as Vijaya Dashmi.

Thus, there are numerous folk tales behind this hugely and globally celebrated festival. Another tale narrates the day when the Pandavas came out of their disguise after the end of Vanvasa and finally unearthed their weapons from the Shami tree. Apart from these two, you must know about the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon. In short, Dussehra is a celebration of victory over evil, and Dussehra in the USA could be easily considered a collective part of Navratri. Check Out : Navratri Celebrations In The USA

Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day after the start of Navratri. It is the next day after Navami, and thus, it is the last day when the processions of the goddess happen on a river or oceanfront. During Navratri, several forms of Devi, i.e., Goddess Parvati, are revered, and all of them are taken to get immersed in the water. As you could have seen in Durga Puja, Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Saraswati, and Lord Ganesha and Kartikeya accompany Mother Goddess Durga, and later on the day of Vijayadashami, all of them are immersed. Dasha-Hara, as you can spell this festival, is the ten days, and they are all celebrated in honor of Shri Rama.

For these ten days, people from the community stage plays and musicals based on the Hindu epic Ramayana. It is popularly called ‘Rama Leela’ as it narrates the story of Lord Rama. Also, people build huge effigies of the featured demons Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna, and his son Meghanada. On the day of Vijayadashami, these towering effigies are burned on bonfires, and these are very similar to the Holi bonfire.

DUSSEHRA CELEBRATION IN UNITED STATES

In 1999, the first-ever Dassara celebration was organized in New Jersey by a community of Indian Americans, and soon it grew in popularity. It came to be known as the Annual Grand Dusshera Festival. All members of the committee and other volunteers come together to start preparations for the festival months before.

In these festivals in the USA, one can taste the festivities through Indian food that is made available through vendors selling on stalls and local stores. From Bhel to fafda and Jalebi, all are cooked and served at this event. Even Ram-Leela is played for entertainment as well as to carry forward the culture and backstory to future generations abroad. Sometimes, celebrity or political guests are called to such events for the inauguration or as special guests. Everyone feels so much closer to their motherland through this festival, and the main purpose of this celebration in the US is to bring unity amongst the community. Hindu Swayamseval Sangh (HSS) organizes and establishes pandals to celebrate Dussehra across New Jersey. Now let’s check out what you are going to wear for this year’s Dussehra celebrations in the USA!

WHAT TO WEAR DURING NAVRATRI DUSSEHRA 2021

SALWAR SUIT

A salwar kameez, or salwar suit, is made of three pieces of designer garments. At first, there is a salwar, which is a loose pajama-like pant, or you can call them trousers. The Kameez, as the name suggests, is a long kurta-like tunic with a stylish collar. Sometimes there is just an open, round neck instead of collars, or maybe a mandarin collar. Lastly, a dupatta that is made of a solid pattern is draped over the shoulder. The salwar suit is a special outfit for women during the Dussehra festival. This salwar suit becomes an ethnic piece of clothing that every woman should own in her wardrobe. There are variations of salwar suits that can even be worn by men. Anarkali salwar suits are one of the most popular types of salwar suits. It is a frock-style dress paired with skin-fitted pants, and that can be paired with a dupatta or maybe not.

Style tip: An ethnic Maang Tikka is highly recommended with a salwar suit along with a pair of large dangle earrings.

NEHRU JACKET

An ethnic jacket that is worn over a long kurta is known as a Nehru jacket. Its name suggests the way it became popular and idolized by every Indian through its first prime minister. A usual kurta set that comprises a kurta with a pant-like pajama is beautifully styled with a Nehru jacket. These fashion garments are highly recommended for men as festive wear during Dussehra celebrations. Mostly, the color of the jacket contradicts the kurta. The kurta and pants are of the same color, but the jacket is high and complements the entire outfit.

 Style tip: Mojaris as footwear with this Nehra jacket-over-Kurta set is most recommended for a complete traditional look.

FESTIVE WEAR SAREE

A saree is an essential outfit for women during the festive season, like the Dussehra celebration. Festive wear sarees come in unique styles that offer aesthetics to your personality. Kalamkari, Banarasi, and Bandhani styles of sarees remain the most popular, and other styles such as designer, half and a half, and many more are loved and worn graciously. You can shop for a traditional and unstitched saree that you can wear yourself by making the pleats and draping around. Otherwise, you can easily shop for ready-made sarees that are stitched with well-made pleats that you just need to attach and put the drape over the shoulder. Karmaplace.com provides unstitched and stitched sarees with good quality and lasting durability.

 Style tip: Kundan jewelry with a traditional saree is always stunning and presentable.

KURTA SHIRT

The traditional touch to your modern and urban clothing is through kurta shirts. A kurta is cropped and stitched in such a way that it looks like a shirt. It can have long or short sleeves and maybe collars of various types. Kurta shirts are not just for the Dussehra celebration; they can be worn on other days as well. Mandarin collars are very popular with kurta shirts. You can pair it with denim jeans, and even trousers will look good with an ethnic kurta shirt. Kurta shirts are worn by both men and women. Girls can pair it with palazzos as well. They are both festive wear as well as casual wear, as they maintain a neutral fashion style.

 Style Tip: Complementary colored sunglasses paired with a kurta shirt would surely sparkle your attire.

LEHENGA CHOLI

An ethnic wear outfit is a set of three garments, i.e., a blouse known as the choli, a long and floating skirt knee-length called a lehenga. A dupatta is used as an accessory to drape over the shoulder. You can also shop for lehenga dress material to get it stitched according to your fit and get it shipped before the Dussehra celebrations. Lehenga choli is very elegant, and it is a mix of contemporary and traditional designs. Modern lehengas come with minimal design and, preferably, muted tones of warm colors that radiate a sharp personality. All three pieces could be made of three different colors in the same color palette, but the choli and the dupatta remain the highlights of all.

 Style Tip: A choker jewelry necklace with drop earrings or even danglers can look good with this outfit.

Now you are all set to get ready from karmaplace.com. All your shipments are done directly from exclusive and classic designers and boutiques from India. Start your shopping now and be ready before the festive season and just feel the enigma of the Dussehra celebration this year with optimism and a good heart.