Dr Satyajit Nayak, IPS<\/p>\n
Ravana Dahan, the traditional burning of Ravana\u2019s effigy during Dussehra, symbolises the eternal victory of good over evil, truth over falsehood and righteousness over injustice. Rooted in the epic *Ramayana*, the ritual commemorates Lord Rama\u2019s victory over Ravana, the king of Lanka, whose arrogance and disregard for moral values ultimately led to his downfall. Although Ravana was known for his knowledge, power and devotion, his failure to control his ego serves as a timeless reminder that greatness lies not merely in intelligence, authority or achievement, but in humility, integrity and respect for others. Lord Rama\u2019s life, on the other hand, exemplifies courage, sacrifice, duty and adherence to righteousness. As the towering effigy goes up in flames, the occasion offers us an opportunity to reflect on our own lives and recognise that the real purpose of Ravana Dahan is not simply to burn a symbolic figure but to overcome the negative qualities within ourselves. Anger, greed, jealousy, hatred, dishonesty and arrogance can weaken relationships and divide society, while kindness, patience, compassion and truth strengthen the bonds of humanity.<\/p>\n
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The message of Ravana Dahan remains especially relevant in today\u2019s rapidly changing world, where society faces challenges such as cybercrime, online fraud, misinformation, social-media rumours, intolerance and the erosion of mutual trust. The careless sharing of unverified information can create fear, damage reputations and disturb public peace. Every citizen must therefore exercise responsibility, verify information before forwarding it and refrain from spreading content that may provoke hostility or social discord. The festival also reminds us of the importance of protecting the dignity and safety of women and children, respecting the rights of every individual and standing firmly against injustice and discrimination. Respect for women must be reflected in everyday behaviour, while children must be provided with a safe and supportive environment to learn, grow and fulfil their aspirations. True celebration of Dussehra lies in translating its spiritual message into meaningful social action. When we replace prejudice with understanding, hatred with compassion and selfishness with service, we bring the ideals of righteousness into our homes, workplaces and communities. These values are essential for building a peaceful, inclusive and responsible society in which differences are respected and every individual is treated with dignity.<\/p>\n
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From the perspective of policing and public service, the ideals represented by Dussehra are closely connected with integrity, impartiality, accountability and the rule of law. Effective policing involves not only responding to crime but also preventing offences, building public trust, protecting vulnerable people and working in partnership with citizens to maintain peace and security. A safe society can be built when the police and the public share a commitment to lawful conduct, mutual respect and collective responsibility. Citizens can contribute by obeying the law, helping people in distress, reporting wrongdoing through appropriate channels, rejecting rumours and cooperating with authorities during public gatherings. Festival celebrations must also be conducted responsibly, with due attention to crowd management, fire safety, environmental protection and the instructions of the administration. Organisers and participants should ensure that enthusiasm does not compromise public safety. The younger generation, in particular, can draw valuable lessons from Dussehra: real success is measured not merely by wealth, status or influence, but by character, honesty, discipline and service to others. The courage to stand against wrongdoing, admit mistakes and choose the ethical path is far more meaningful than the temporary satisfaction of defeating another person. Every small act of kindness, every honest decision and every effort to protect another person\u2019s dignity strengthens the foundations of a better society.<\/p>\n
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Ultimately, Ravana Dahan should inspire us to make a personal commitment to truth, justice and humanity. As the effigy is reduced to ashes, let us resolve to overcome the Ravana within ourselves by abandoning arrogance, greed, hatred and dishonesty. Let us practise humility in success, courage in adversity, fairness in our decisions and compassion in our dealings with others. Families should nurture moral values, educational institutions should encourage responsible citizenship, and communities should promote harmony and cooperation beyond social, cultural and religious differences. A society becomes stronger when its people stand together against injustice and extend a helping hand to those who need support. The enduring message of Dussehra is that goodness must be practised every day, truth must be defended with courage and righteousness must guide our choices. The real victory of Ravana Dahan lies not merely in burning an effigy, but in extinguishing the darkness within and allowing the light of humanity to shine through our actions. May this auspicious occasion bring peace, happiness, prosperity and good health to every family and inspire us all to work towards a safer, more compassionate and harmonious society. Happy Dussehra!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dr Satyajit Nayak, IPS Ravana Dahan, the traditional burning of Ravana\u2019s effigy during Dussehra, symbolises the eternal victory of good over evil, truth over falsehood and righteousness over injustice. Rooted in the epic *Ramayana*, the ritual commemorates Lord Rama\u2019s victory over Ravana, the king of Lanka, whose arrogance and disregard for moral values ultimately led …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3535","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3535"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3535\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3536,"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3535\/revisions\/3536"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/binayaknews.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}