In East India, however, the legends suggest that Daksha, the king of the Himalayas had a beautiful and virtuous daughter called Uma, who wished to marry Lord Shiva since her childhood. However, when Shiva finally came to marry her, the tiger-skin clad groom displeased Daksha and he broke off all the relationships with his daughter and son-in-law. The heartbroken Uma immolated herself and Shiva was grief-stricken. However, she took re-birth and again won Shiva as her groom and peace was restored. It is believed that since then Uma comes every year with her four children Ganesh, Kartik, Saraswati and Laxmi and two of her best friends or 'sakhis' called Jaya and Bijaya, to visit her parent's home during Navratri. Dusshera (tenth day) marks the triumph of good over evil, the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king, Ravana. Brilliantly decorated tableaus and processions depicting various facets of Rama's life are taken out. On Vijayadasmi, the tenth day, colossal effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghnath are placed in vast open spaces. Rama, accompanied by his consort Sita and his brother Lakshmana, arrive and shoot arrows of fire at these effigies, which are stuffed with explosive material. This results in a deafening blast accompanied by shouts of merriment and triumph from the spectators. It is significant that the Lord invoked the blessings of the divine mother, Goddess Durga, before actually going out to battle. The burning of the effigies is symbolic of the burning of the evil within e are asked to burn the evil within them and Dusshera is a reminder of the fall of evil in the form of Ravana despite all might and majesty.



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