Effigy Burning.

Effigy burning is common the world over. People burn effigies during protest marches or festivals or to celebrate the ending of the old year and the beggining of the new one. There are two main festivals where effigies are burnt. One is The Burning Man festival in Nevada. The other is the Ramayana festival in India where the effigy of the demon king Ravana is burnt. Is it any coincidence that both take place in the last quarter of the year?

The Burning Man.

Burning Man is a week-long festival with international draw. It is held annually, ending Labor Day weekend in early September, on the playa of the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, at 40°45′17″N, 119°14′11″W or 90 miles (150 km) north-northeast of Reno. The temporary city (housing 36,500 residents in 2005) is put forth as an experiment in community, radical self expression, and radical self reliance. The culmination of the event is the burning of a large wooden sculpture of a man on Saturday night, the sixth night of the event.

Dussehra

This day marks the triumph of Lord Rama over Demon king Ravana. On this day, Rama killed Ravana.

Rama was asked to go on exile because his stepmother, Queen Kaikeyee was tricked into asking King Dasaratha to exile him for 14 years. Rama's wife Sita, and his brother Lakshmana went with him willingly.

News of Rama staying at an ashmram while on exile spread rapidly. A demon, Shoorpanakha found her way there and demanded that Rama or Lakshmana marry her. When both brothers rejected her, she threatened to kill Sita, so that Rama would then be single again. Lakshmana then cut off her ears and nose.

Shoorpanakha's brother was the demon King . Ravana was incensed to hear what happened to his sister, and kidnapped Sita to avenge the insult.

The Ramayana chronicles Rama's travels and deeds as he searched for his wife, and defeated evil.

On this day, people spend the day decorating the entrances of houses & shops with flower studded strings called 'Torans' (Floral Gateways).

At night, effigies of , Kumbhakaran and Meghanad are stuffed with firecrackers and set alight. Children especially enjoy seeing this because of the beautiful fireworks on the ground. The festival, which is thought of as the "Victory of Good over Evil" and "Return of Rama from Exile" is celebrated in grand style. Because the day is auspicious, people inaugurate new vehicles, machines, books, weapons and tools by ceremonially asking god to bless the new items.