When we think of Dusshera, the first thought that comes to our mind is of fire crackers bursting out of Ravan’s effigy. This festival, which celebrates the victory of Lord Ram, the king of Ayodhya, over the king of Lanka, Ravan, in essence, symbolises that truth wins over evil, despite the challenges in its way.
However, there’s a place in India whose residents may not share the same mental image most others may have of Dusshera.
Baijnath, a quaint temple-town in the picturesque hill state of Himachal Pradesh, doesn’t celebrate Dusshera the way the rest of India does. It is home to a 9th century Shiva temple (according to the official website of the state government), which is said to be the site where Lord Shiva resides in the form of a shivling, according to Hindu mythology. Ravan had convinced Lord Shiva to accompany him to Lanka by his ardent worship. But Lord Shiva had imposed a condition on Ravan that he will accompany him only if his shivling isn’t made to rest on the way.
Ravan, in order to answer the call of nature, left the shivling in the custody of a passerby named Baiju who accidentally rested it on the ground. Legend has it that since then, this shivling hasn’t moved and the place attained the name, Baijnath, known after Baiju.
In order to pay respect to Ravan for his ardent worship of Lord Shiva and to avoid his wrath for burning the effigy of his undying devotee, ravan’s effigy is not burnt in Baijnath on Dusshera. This place also doesn’t have any goldsmith’s shop as Lanka was said to be made of gold, according to mythology, and it is assumed Lord Shiva being a Spartan entity, rejected Lanka’s gold.
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