Burning Ravana, Rising Evils: Has Dussehra Lost Its Deeper Meaning?

The towering effigies of Ravana go up in flames every year, but corruption, injustice, greed and social prejudice continue to thrive. The real victory of Dussehra lies not in burning a symbol of evil, but in confronting the darkness within ourselves.

By Dr. Satyawan Saurabh

(SDNA) Special Article | Bhiwani, Haryana.

Every year, as dusk falls on Dussehra, towering effigies of Ravana are set ablaze across India. Fireworks illuminate the sky, crowds cheer, and the familiar message of good triumphing over evil echoes through the celebrations. Within minutes, the mighty effigy is reduced to ashes, and people return home exchanging greetings for Vijayadashami.

Yet, an uncomfortable question remains: if Ravana is defeated every year, why do the evils he represents continue to flourish in society? Who is the Ravana that burns in public squares, and who is the Ravana that rises again in our homes, institutions and everyday lives?

Dussehra is much more than a religious festival or a spectacle of fireworks. At its heart, it is a reminder of the need for introspection, moral courage and social responsibility. The burning of Ravana symbolises the ultimate defeat of arrogance, injustice, deceit, greed and wrongdoing. However, over time, the deeper message of the festival risks being overshadowed by increasingly elaborate celebrations, taller effigies and extravagant displays.

The question is not how spectacularly Ravana burns, but whether the evils he represents are diminishing within us.

Ravana’s Greatest Defeat Was His Moral Failure

In the Ramayana, Ravana is portrayed as a learned, powerful and accomplished ruler who was also a devoted worshipper of Lord Shiva. Yet, his arrogance and the abduction of Sita led him towards destruction. His knowledge, strength and wealth could not protect him from the consequences of his actions.

His downfall conveys a timeless lesson: education without ethics, power without accountability and prosperity without moral restraint cannot make a person truly great. Character is ultimately measured not by status, scholarship or influence, but by conduct and the choices one makes.

This lesson remains relevant today. Modern society may have no single individual who embodies every aspect of Ravana, but the mindset associated with him continues to surface in countless forms.

Whenever a woman’s dignity is violated, a daughter-in-law is harassed for dowry, a public official accepts a bribe, a vulnerable person is exploited or greed destroys family relationships, the spirit of Ravana finds another place to survive. When addiction tears families apart and dishonesty becomes a convenient means of personal advancement, the problem extends far beyond any effigy standing in a festival ground.

The contemporary Ravana is not merely a character from an epic. He is also a metaphor for the attitudes and systems that allow injustice to persist.

The Ravana We Recognise in Others but Ignore Within Ourselves

One of society’s greatest contradictions is that people are often quick to identify the faults of others but reluctant to examine their own behaviour.

Another person’s arrogance appears offensive, while our own is defended as self-respect. Someone else’s dishonesty is condemned, while a compromise made for personal gain is justified as practicality. We demand accountability from others but frequently search for excuses when our own actions fall short of ethical standards.

This double standard allows the inner Ravana to survive.

The problem, therefore, is not limited to criminals, corrupt officials or people who openly violate social norms. It also concerns ordinary decisions through which dishonesty, intolerance, selfishness and indifference gradually become acceptable.

A society cannot overcome its collective weaknesses if individuals refuse to acknowledge their personal contribution to them.

Religious Celebrations Must Translate into Social Responsibility

Violence against women, corruption, fraud, substance abuse and the erosion of ethical values remain serious social concerns. Addressing these challenges requires more than annual religious observances or inspiring speeches.

Families, educational institutions, public authorities and community organisations must all play their part. Children need more than lectures about good values; they need to witness honesty, empathy, fairness and respect in the behaviour of adults around them.

Laws and their effective enforcement are essential to deter wrongdoing. Equally important, however, is the development of an inner moral compass that helps individuals distinguish between right and wrong even when no one is watching.

The real test of values comes when doing the right thing is inconvenient, when honesty carries a personal cost or when standing against injustice requires courage.

The Difference Between Worshipping Ideals and Practising Them

Invoking Lord Rama’s name is easy; following the ideals associated with him requires discipline. Praising truth is simple; defending it when personal interests are threatened is difficult. Speaking about justice is comfortable; supporting it even when it goes against one’s own advantage demands integrity.

Rama represents not only an object of religious faith but also enduring ideals of duty, truth, justice and restraint. Their significance becomes meaningful when they find expression in everyday conduct.

If someone returns from a religious celebration only to mistreat family members, deceive colleagues, exploit workers or humiliate a vulnerable person, it is worth asking whether the spirit of the festival has truly reached their life.

The value of religion cannot be judged merely by outward displays of devotion. It must also be reflected in how people treat one another, especially those who have less power, fewer resources or limited means to defend themselves.

Faith and ethical conduct should reinforce each other rather than remain separate aspects of life.

How Can We Make the Burning of Ravana Meaningful?

The answer begins with a shift from symbolism to action. Instead of treating Dussehra as the conclusion of an annual ritual, society can use it as an opportunity to renew its commitment to personal improvement and collective welfare.

Every individual can begin by identifying one harmful habit that needs to change. Someone may resolve to control anger, another to reject dishonest gains, another to treat women with greater dignity, and someone else to speak up when witnessing discrimination or injustice.

Communities can strengthen their efforts against dowry harassment, corruption, violence and addiction through awareness, education, support for affected families and cooperation with the appropriate authorities.

Equally important is the willingness to stand beside victims, support truthful testimony, refuse to encourage corrupt practices and respect the rights of others while exercising one’s own.

Social transformation does not always begin on a grand stage. Often, it begins with a small but courageous decision made by an ordinary person.

Remaining silent when someone is being wronged, for example, can allow injustice to continue. Offering support, reporting wrongdoing through appropriate channels or refusing to participate in unethical conduct can help challenge the very attitudes that the festival symbolically condemns.

A Taller Character Matters More Than a Taller Effigy

The height of Ravana’s effigy may attract attention for a few hours, but the strength of a person’s character can influence generations. The sound of fireworks may dominate the evening, but the voice raised against injustice has a far more lasting social value.

Dussehra should encourage us to measure success differently. Instead of asking how grand the celebrations have become, we should ask whether they have made us more compassionate, honest, responsible and courageous.

If we burn Ravana in the evening but carry the same arrogance, greed, jealousy and unethical habits back into our homes, workplaces and public institutions, the ritual has achieved little beyond spectacle.

The real defeat of evil takes place when injustice is challenged, integrity is upheld and moral responsibility becomes part of everyday life.

This Vijayadashami, Let Us Make a Different Resolution

This Dussehra, the resolution should extend beyond burning an effigy. It should include identifying and overcoming at least one personal failing, opposing an act of injustice and making a positive difference in another person’s life.

A celebration becomes meaningful when its message continues long after the lights fade and the crowds disperse. It becomes transformative when the values associated with Lord Rama are reflected in our decisions, relationships and public conduct.

Ravana will continue to burn every year as a symbol of evil’s eventual defeat. But the evils he represents will remain alive as long as we provide them space within ourselves and our social institutions.

The true Vijayadashami will arrive when the flames of the festival are matched by a genuine transformation in human behaviour—when arrogance gives way to humility, greed to compassion, dishonesty to integrity and indifference to the courage to stand for what is right.

Only then will the burning of Ravana become more than a tradition. It will become a meaningful step towards a more just, ethical and humane society.

— Dr. Satyawan Saurabh
Poet, Independent Journalist and Columnist
Akashvani and Television Panelist
Barwa (Siwani), Bhiwani, Haryana

Dr. Satyawan Saurabh holds a PhD in Political Science and is a poet and social thinker.