Yesterday, we celebrated Vijayadashmi or Dussehra. Interestingly, it is celebrated in North India as a day of celebrating good over evil and at the same time it is also celebrated in South India as a day of Guruvandanam – celebrating learning, initiating learnings.

My few observations

In South India:

1. Ayudha Pooja i.e, worshiping all tools and vocations is about celebrating power of knowledge and skills in our lives. Goddess Saraswati represents power of knowledge.
2. 9 days are celebrated worshiping – first 3 days are devoted to Wealth (Goddess Lakshmi), physical health (Goddess Durga) and the last 3 days to Mental growth – Knowledge (Saraswati).
3. The houses were decorated with heritage dolls/idols on multi-level staircase stands. These decorations connect all new members of the family with the memories of grand parents in form of physical objects like dolls. Each doll/idol represents – who got it and in which year. It’s a Platform for sharing family stories similar to what in management we call Fireside stories.
4. All the 9 days have different kinds of lentils or also known as Sundals as a giveaway after the Pooja.
5. Ayudha Pooja is a tools worship day with complete Pen down.
6. The 10th day is day of new initiatives, signing up for new Gurus or Schools and thanksgiving to Gurus.

In North India:

1. I grew up in North India where the festival was celebrated in a very different manner. It’s a season of Ramlila.
2. The complete story of Ramayan – which I call it as “Do’s and Don’ts of human life” – is played in every nook and corner by every community.
3. Over 10 days, it is an opportunity for the local play artist to play various roles in Ramlila. For kids like us, it was an opportunity for enjoying Mela and fun for 10 days. The Ramlila typically starts post dinner and continues till late night. It is also a mechanism for fund raising for local temples.
4. Similar to South India, Navratri (9 days) is also celebrated but the focus would be around the life and ideals of Ram.
5. In my family, my mother used to grow wheat on 1st day in a small pot. Within 10 days, the wheat (Jau) grows more than 8-12 inches. This tradition symbolically represents seeding of the new crop. The typical tikka to brothers is performed by sisters of the family with token of gift from brothers.
6. We have a tradition of writing a ANNUAL DIARY on this day where we record attendance on that festival, major events in the direct family, major events in extended family and then important national and international events along with major commodity prices.

I have not experienced the traditions prevalent in East or West India, except the celebration of worshipping Durga. I will request someone to update about East India and West India. Please correct my understanding also.

My learnings in both traditions are about creating family bonding, creating new energies and reiterating learning as a habit.

What a wonderful and holistic design for 10 days of festivities and connecting families year after year. These traditions build on us without even making any effort and become part of our DNA.

Ayudha pooja done for all kinds of tools, vehicles and instruments as part of the festival

Heritage dolls arranged as part of Navratri celebrations

Production capacity: Average adult human being body produces 5,000 – 7,000 crore cells per day.

Rate of Red Blood Cells, the fastest growing cells are produced at 2 million cells per second.

In all living forms, science has discovered Genes – which is encoding of repeating itself.

Question – is there something in all living forms – ‘I am Different’.