Dussehra is remembered as the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness. But its meaning cannot remain confined to mythology. Ravana is not only a figure of the past ” he reappears in every act of injustice, every abuse of power, every denial of human dignity.
The burning of effigies each year will remain hollow unless we also confront the living effigies of our time: hatred that divides communities, greed that destroys forests and rivers, arrogance that tramples the poor, and authority that silences dissent. These are the many-headed demons of today, more insidious than those of legend, because they dress themselves in the language of nationalism, prosperity, and even religion.
Dharma is not ritual alone. It is justice in practice ” fairness in governance, compassion in society, and equality in our relationships. To recall Rama’s victory is not to glorify conquest, but to insist that power be held accountable and that the vulnerable be defended. Without justice, any celebration of triumph is empty.
Dussehra also reminds us that true victory is not about annihilation. It lies in restoring balance, creating coexistence, and repairing what conflict has broken. The measure of triumph is not how enemies are destroyed, but how people live together afterwards ” with respect, dignity, and care.
This Dussehra, let us resist reducing the festival to spectacle. Let it be a meditation on our shared responsibility: to make justice the cornerstone of dharma, and coexistence the only path to peace and honour.
