Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, OCT 21 (NPN): Durga idol immersion was carried out in the Dhansiri River here on Wednesday, marking the culmination of Durga Puja celebrations on Bijaya Dashami, with the Nagaland Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and traffic police assisting in the arrangements.
Speaking on the significance of the occasion, Bharat Sevashram Sangha in-charge and Pranab Vidyapith Higher Secondary School (PVHSS) Dimapur chairman Swami Chinmayanandaji Maharaj said Bijaya Dashami symbolised the triumph of good over evil.
He explained that the festival commemorated Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana and the rescue of Sita, with the burning of Ravana’s effigy representing the ultimate triumph of righteousness over evil.
Swami said the victory was celebrated as Vijayadashami and followed by Diwali, when people illuminated their homes and surroundings to mark Lord Rama’s victorious return.
Explaining the significance of idol immersion, he said it was an integral part of Hindu religious tradition, with idols worshipped and decorated throughout the festival before being immersed in water.
He said immersion was traditionally considered appropriate for clay idols, which dissolved in water, while leaving them by roadsides could lead to disrespect and create sanitation concerns.
On the tradition of Ravana Dahan, or the burning of Ravana’s effigy, Swami said it was rooted in the Hindu epic Ramayana, in which Lord Rama defeated Ravana after he abducted Sita.
He said Ravana represented evil and wrongdoing, while Lord Rama symbolised righteousness, truth and the protection of dharma.
The ritual served as a reminder that evil, injustice and unrighteousness would ultimately be overcome by truth and goodness.
He added that Ravana Dahan was more than a symbolic reenactment of an episode from the Ramayana. It also conveyed a moral message, encouraging people to overcome negative qualities and uphold truth, righteousness and moral values in their daily lives.
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