Beyond Good and Evil: A Dussehra Reflection

Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami, is a significant Hindu festival that commemorates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana in the epic Ramayana, symbolising the triumph of good over evil. It is also associated with Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura, embodying the power of righteousness over chaos.

"The demons we burn outside are only distractions from the ones we shelter within."

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Celebrated with the burning of Ravana’s effigies, processions, and cultural performances, Dussehra serves as a reminder of moral courage and the eternal struggle between virtue and vice. Maybe Dussehra is not just a celebration of victory, but a reminder of the struggle that never truly ends.

Perhaps, its deeper meaning is less about a battle long past and more about the battles we stage within ourselves. The effigies we burn are symbols, but the real demons rarely turn to ash; they linger in our thoughts, choices, and silences.

They’re inside us, disguised as ambition, desire, greed, or even love. And yet, what if all we do is justify them because morality is nothing more than perspective dressed up as truth?

"One man’s saviour is another’s tyrant. One man’s sin is another’s survival."

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Until we confront our own demons, our rituals of “victory” are nothing but theatre. So, are we confronting reality, or just clinging to a convenient illusion?

What if there is only the endless struggle of will against will, power against power, without moral justice? What if we celebrate “good” because it comforts us, not because it exists?

Conclusion

As we celebrate Dussehra today, may the fire we light outside remind us of the shadows within. Let this not just be a ritual of burning effigies, but an invitation to confront the subtle demons of fear, greed, anger, and self-deception that we often carry in silence. Perhaps the true victory lies in understanding and accepting the chaos within us, and learning to rise above it.

This Dussehra, may we find clarity in self-realisation and bravery in meeting our inner realities.