Vijayadashami (Bengali: বিজয়াদশমী, Kannada: ವಿಜಯದಶಮಿ, Malayalam: വിജയദശമി, Marathi: विजयादशमी, Nepali :विजया दशमी, Oriya :ବିଜୟାଦଶମୀ, Tamil: விஜயதசமி, Telugu: విజయదశమి) also known as Dasara, is one of the most important festivals celebrated in various forms, across India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Dasara/ Dussehra is derived from Sanskrit Dasha-hara meaning "remover of bad fate" meaning remover of ten heads of Ravana's.
It is also referred to as Navratri and Durgotsav. It is also written as Dashahara, Dussehra Bengali: দশেরা, Kannada: ದಸರ, Malayalam: ദസറ, Konkani: दसरो , Marathi: दसरा, Oriya:ଦଶହରା, Telugu: దసరా, Punjabi: ਦਸੇਰਾ and Dashain in Nepal.
(... from Wikipedia on 2012-04-17 22:20:17)