A Sign Of Goodwill

Before I start beating around let me get to the point straight away Dussehra in Maharashtra is all about visiting your near and dear ones in the pretext of exchanging sona (English (literal) translation: gold). Sona is the leaf of the Shami tree (Ramayana’s Rama’s favourite tree) in which the Pandavas (of The Mahabharata fame) hid their weapons during the last year of their Agnyatawas (a period when their real identities were hidden from the public).

At least the festival opens an opportunity to interact with your relatives, neighbours and friends in the name of a religion in the context of a cultural ritual. I like it?

There are so many legends to this festival. I never thought that the Pandavas had anything to do with it. but they do.