Dussehra
According to the great Hindu epic Ramayan, Dussehra is the
day on which Lord Ram killed Ravan, the evil king of Lanka. It is considered as
a shubh-muharat - a very auspicious day - to start a new venture. It is a
symbol of the victory of good over evil. People decorate the entrances of their
homes with torans, marigold flower studded strings, and worship the tools of
trade, vehicles, machinery, weapons and books. As the evening falls, the
villagers cross the border, a ritual known as Simollanghan, and worship the
Shami tree. The leaves of the Apta tree are collected and exchanged among
friends and relatives as gold
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