Vijayadasami, or Dasara, is the tenth day that crowns Navaratri: the day of Rama's victory over Ravana and of Durga's over Mahishasura. In the Telugu states it is also the day of the jammi tree and the palapitta, two customs found almost nowhere else in this form.
The story
When the Pandavas ended their exile they recovered their weapons from a shami tree, called jammi in Telugu, and won the war that followed. The tree has stood for victory ever since.
On Dasara evening people gather at a jammi tree outside the village or in a temple yard, worship it, and carry home its small leaves. The leaves are handed to elders and friends as "bangaram", gold, with an embrace. In Telangana the greeting is called alai balai.
To catch sight of a palapitta, the Indian roller, on Dasara is counted a sign of a good year. The bird flashes brilliant blue when it flies and is Telangana's state bird.
శమీ శమయతే పాపం శమీ శత్రు వినాశినీ । అర్జునస్య ధనుర్ధారీ రామస్య ప్రియదర్శినీ
The shami quiets sin, the shami destroys enemies; she held Arjuna's bow and was dear to Rama's sight
Said while circling the jammi tree
How it is kept
- Jammi pujaThe shami tree is worshipped at dusk and its leaves exchanged as gold. Slips of paper with one's wishes are sometimes tied to it.
- Seeing the palapittaFamilies go out to open ground in the afternoon hoping for a glimpse of the roller.
- New beginningsChildren are started on their letters (Aksharabhyasam), new account books are opened, and vehicles and houses are bought.
- TeppotsavamAt Vijayawada the festival closes with the goddess and Malleswara Swamy taken out on a swan-shaped float on the Krishna.
- The feastA day for new clothes and a full table, with visits between households carrying on late into the evening.
Why this date
Vijayadasami is the tenth tithi (Dasami) of the bright half of Ashwayuja, observed on the day Dasami is in force in the afternoon (aparahna), the time prescribed for the shami puja. Regions that go by the tithi at sunrise can keep it a day later.
Vijayadasami in other years
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Thursday | |
| 2026 | Tuesday | |
| 2027 | Saturday | |
| 2028 | Wednesday | |
| 2029 | Tuesday | |
| 2030 | Sunday |
More from this season
19 OctoberMaha Navamiమహర్నవమి
19 OctoberDurgashtamiదుర్గాష్టమి
8 NovemberDeepavaliదీపావళి
10 OctoberBathukammaబతుకమ్మ
18 OctoberSaddula Bathukammaసద్దుల బతుకమ్మ
8 NovemberNaraka Chaturdasiనరక చతుర్దశి