Has the message of Dussehra been lost?
Dr. Priyanka Saurabh
Dussehra symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. Yet today, the burning of Ravana has become a spectacle of entertainment. Effigies go up in flames, but crime, rape, domestic violence, and corruption rise around us. The Ravana of old was powerful and learned, but destroyed by arrogance and lust. The Ravana of today is more dangerous, living in the form of social evils that ignore law and morality. The true message of Dussehra is not about burning effigies, but about defeating the evils within ourselves and in society. Only then can there be real victory.
Every year on Vijayadashami, effigies of Ravana are burned with enthusiasm. Traditionally, this act symbolized the destruction of evil and the triumph of good. In modern times, it has been reduced to a performance. Crowds gather, take photos, post videos online, and return unchanged, while the demons of crime and immorality grow stronger.
Ravana himself was a paradox. A great devotee of Lord Shiva, a brilliant scholar, and a valiant warrior, he fell to ruin because of ego and lust. His story teaches that wisdom, power, or resources cannot save one who strays from the path of morality. His fall was inevitable once arrogance and desire ruled him.
Today’s society is filled with similar Ravanas. Unlike the single figure of the Ramayana, the Ravana of today lives in every home, street, and city. Crime, rape, murder, corruption, and domestic violence are rampant. These are not only failures of law and order but signs of moral collapse.
The annual effigy burning symbolizes the end of evil, but evil persists. Modern Ravanas exploit law and power for selfish ends. They have no regard for honesty, religion, or humanity. Domestic abuse, dowry deaths, child abuse, and corruption are not isolated incidents, but widespread practices.
The lesson of Dussehra is not about fire consuming straw and paper. It is about confronting our inner Ravanas—ego, hatred, lies, deceit, and lust. Ravana Dahan should remind us to recognize these flaws and eradicate them. Effigies may burn, but unless we conquer what festers within, society will continue to sink.
Education and awareness have not stemmed the rise of vice. On the contrary, crime and immorality have grown. Children and youth bear the brunt. Unless families, schools, and communities nurture virtue, honesty, and humanity, festivals will remain hollow rituals.
Ravana’s life remains instructive. His downfall shows that knowledge and strength without humility or self-control invite destruction. This lesson is urgent for a society drowning in arrogance and greed.
Change must begin at the level of individuals. Parents, teachers, community leaders, and policymakers all share responsibility to cultivate moral values in the young. Dussehra’s true meaning lies in this continuous moral renewal.
If Ravana Dahan is to be more than spectacle, we must kill the Ravanas within—lies, arrogance, hatred, and violence. Only then will Vijayadashami become a true celebration of good over evil, and not just a symbolic performance.
Ravana is no longer just a mythological king, but a symbol of the evils eroding family, community, and society. Until these Ravanas are destroyed, the festival will lose its soul.
Dussehra should be an occasion for introspection, not mere entertainment. Burning puppets reminds us that Ravana must fall, but real victory is achieved only when we destroy the Ravanas within. Without this, the spectacle will continue, and the real Ravanas will multiply unchecked.
(Note: Dr. Priyanka Saurabh is
Research Scholar in Political Science
Poet, freelance journalist and columnist
Ubba Bhawan, Aryanagar, Hisar (Haryana)-127045)
