Dussehra Greetings!

Of all the festivals that adorn the cultural tapestry of India, Bijoya Dashami holds a unique and poignant place in the hearts of devotees. It is the tenth day, the grand culmination of the vibrant Durga Puja, marking the victory of the divine Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. It is a day of triumph, of celebrating the eternal win of good over evil, of light over darkness. Yet, intertwined with the jubilant cheers and the beating of the dhak is a profound and collective sadness—for Bijoya Dashami is also the day we must bid farewell to our beloved Goddess.

For five glorious days, our homes and pandals felt like her earthly abode. Her divine presence, radiating power, compassion, and maternal love, filled the air with an ineffable joy and a sense of profound security.

We perform the 'Shanti Jal' and the 'Boron', our hearts heavy with the knowledge that the time for departure has come. It is a sorrowful moment, watching the embodiment of strength and love prepare for her journey back to her heavenly abode. We are sad, for it feels like a radiant light is temporarily leaving our world. We express our gratitude for her visit and our sorrow at her parting through the emotional 'aarti' and the heartfelt 'Shubho Bijoya' greetings.

And so, with tearful eyes and hopeful hearts, we pray. We pray that she returns to us every year, that this divine cycle of arrival and departure continues to fill our lives with the same unbridled joy, fervor, and spiritual renewal. We yearn for the annual reassurance of her victory and her boundless love.

Yet, our ultimate prayer goes beyond the cyclical. We beseech her to reside not just in our pandals for a few days each year, but to take up a permanent abode within our very souls. May the strength she wielded against evil become our courage against adversity. May the compassion in her eyes guide our actions towards others. May her wisdom reside in our minds and her fearlessness in our hearts. True Bijoya, then, is not just a day on the calendar; it is the victory we achieve when we internalize her divine spirit, ensuring that Maa Durga never truly leaves us, but lives within us forever.