Really is not fair that Dussehra landed the day after Judwaa 2!!! So I am going to be lazy and only put up a few songs. But, to make up for it, temporary new blog header image! Pretty cool, right? (this is an updated and reposted post from last year)
This is my favorite Dussehra songs, because it manages to make the holiday work on 3 levels. First, the practices of the people who celebrate it, the way it is handled as a tradition and lived experience. A simple village pageant, using the school children, the post-master, and the teacher, coming together to create the Ram-Leela show for the community.
Second, the Holy aspect of the holiday. While most of the performance is done in simple costumes and sets with regular village folk, when Ram and Lakshman arrive, they are played by actors who do not appear in any other part of the film, actors who move and look different from the others, there is that vague sense of power about them, a reminder that this isn’t just a festival about fireworks and village plays, there is a real belief and faith behind it.
And third, the message of the holiday, which Shahrukh leaps into the middle of the performance to try to get the audience to see, that it is up to all of us to stand up and fight evil where ever we found it.
Anyway, what I’m saying is, it’s a good song!
So, that’s the deep version of the holiday, my other favorite Dussehra song is a really really silly version.
And finally, always Amitji.
dontcallitbollywood 
Happy dussera!!! Hopefully we’d be able find a good ravan dahan. The one we went to last year had long political speeches and we almost got caught in a stampede.
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You got me curious so i just checked, and there are NO Dussehra celebrations near me. Tons of Garba parties for Navratri, but those are easier and cheaper to organize. And Richa Sharma is coming to celebrate Diwali with us. Which I think I will skip.
On Sat, Sep 30, 2017 at 8:38 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Well her best songs are not celebratory so maybe that’s a good idea. Diwali is best spent at home.
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There’s this thing where it’s just a big fun party organized by some group, and one of the guests is a celebrity. There isn’t a performance or anything, you just sort of know you are in the same room as a celebrity. Last year I got an email about New Years with Neha Sharma.
Is this a thing in India or is it just for lonely NRIs looking for some connection to India through famous people?
On Sat, Sep 30, 2017 at 8:48 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Maybe the really socially competitive people do that but diwali is a family festival and dussera is non-veg day for the non vegetarians after fast days. Local committees organize melas and ramleela and ravan dahan which are about selfies with the cast these days!
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That sounds way more fun than driving out to some hotel ballroom in the suburbs and having over priced food and occasionally getting a glimpse of the back of the head of some famous person.
I will probably have my traditional diwale celebration of going to see the new movie, and then trolling the internet for the “Holiday family photos/appearances” by all the big stars.
On Sat, Sep 30, 2017 at 8:59 AM, dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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My traditional diwali celebration used to be clean the house throughly the week before diwali and decorate to the tee. Actual diwali day was spent perfecting the rangoli and giving gifts to the neighbors and a calm dinner with a movie world TV premiere. This was when I was too grown up for crackers. I’ve been doing the cleaning and decorating for the past few years but I don’t dress up anymore or visit the neighbors. My face can’t fake a smile a anymore. So it’s a handful of crackers with mom, beau and cousins and last year we only did floating paper lanterns. This year i’ll probably do the cleaning, decorating, a few crackers on the terrace and lots of floating paper lanterns. I’ll send mom and beau to do the thing with the neighbors.
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