Hyderabad: The nine-day Bathukamma festivities, celebrated with vibrant devotion across Telangana, have drawn to a close, ushering in preparations for Dussehra, which falls on October 2 this year. Revered in Hindu tradition, Dussehra commemorates the victory of good over evil, with references in the Ramayana and Mahabharata highlighting its sacred significance. In the Ramayana, it marks the day Lord Rama triumphed over Ravana, while the Mahabharata notes it as the day the Pandavas retrieved their weapons from the sacred Jammu tree after their exile.
On this day, devotees honor the Jammu tree by performing Ayudha Puja, symbolically worshipping their tools, implements, and instruments as instruments of success and protection. According to tradition, the Pandavas retrieved their weapons on the Dashami of Ashwayuja month, which has since inspired this ritual. Worshippers recite the sacred mantra:
“Shami shamayate paapam
Shami shatruvinaashinee
Arjunasya dhanurdhaaree
Ramasya priyadarshinee!!
Karishyamaan yatraayaa yathakaalam sukham mayaa tatra nirvighna kalteetvam bhava Shrirama poojitaa!!”
The ritual extends beyond the Jammu tree. Leaves from the tree, considered auspicious, are shared among family and friends in a practice known as Alay Balay, symbolizing bonds of love and prosperity. Women touch the feet of younger relatives while offering the leaves, and men perform similar gestures to bless girls, emphasizing respect, devotion, and familial unity. Across Telangana, devotees also participate in Ravana Dahan, burning effigies of Ravana to mark the ultimate triumph of righteousness, continuing the sacred traditions of Dussehra.