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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday | |
| 2027 | Saturday | |
| 2028 | Wednesday | |
| 2029 | Tuesday | |
| 2030 | Sunday | |
| 2031 | Saturday |
More Telugu festivals
8 OctoberMaha Navamiమహర్నవమి
7 OctoberDurgashtamiదుర్గాష్టమి
29 OctoberDeepavaliదీపావళి
28 OctoberNaraka Chaturdasiనరక చతుర్దశి
7 OctoberSaddula Bathukammaసద్దుల బతుకమ్మ
2 NovemberNagula Chavithiనాగుల చవితి
Where to see Vijayadasami
In the Telugu states
- Kanaka Durga Temple, VijayawadaAndhra PradeshDasara closes with Teppotsavam: the goddess is taken out on the Krishna river on a swan-shaped float at dusk.
- Bhadrakali Temple, WarangalTelanganaThe goddess of the Kakatiyas, on a lake; the last day of the festival draws the whole city.
- SrisailamAndhra PradeshThe ten days of Dasara for Bhramaramba end here on Vijayadasami.
Across India
- MysuruKarnatakaJamboo Savari: the image of Chamundeshwari rides through the city in a golden howdah on an elephant.
- KulluHimachal PradeshHere the festival only begins on Vijayadasami, when the village deities of the valley are carried down to meet Raghunath.
- BastarChhattisgarhA seventy-five-day festival for the goddess Danteshwari, with great wooden chariots built anew by the tribes of the region.
- Ramlila Maidan, DelhiDelhiThe effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghanada are burned at sunset.