Kishan Reddy joins security personnel for Ayudha Puja on Vijayadashami
Synopsis
Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy joined his security personnel for Ayudha Puja on Vijayadashami, offering prayers to their weapons and reciting a Sanskrit invocation for victory and protection.
Key Takeaways
Kishan Reddy , Union Minister of Coal and Mines and BJP Telangana president, participated in Ayudha Puja (Shastra Puja) with his security personnel on Vijayadashami, 20 October 2026 .
He opened with a Sanskrit verse invoking the unconquered goddess of the tenth day for victory and prosperity.
Ayudha Puja is a traditional Hindu ritual of worshipping weapons and tools, widely observed in southern and central India during Vijayadashami.
The ceremony is rooted in an ancient warrior tradition of consecrating arms before battle, now observed by security forces as a mark of respect for instruments of duty.
Participation by Indian ministers and officials in such ceremonies with their staff is a common and recurring feature of the Dussehra festive season.
On the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy stepped into a centuries-old ritual — joining his security personnel for the traditional Ayudha Puja, a solemn ceremony of offering prayers to the weapons and tools that guard life and duty.
Reddy marked the moment with a Sanskrit verse — 'जयदे वरदे देवि दशम्यामपराजिते। धारयामि भुजे दक्षे जयलाभाभिवृद्धये।।' — which translates as an invocation to the goddess on the tenth day, the unconquered one, beseeching her blessing for victory and prosperity in the right arm that bears arms.
A ritual rooted in warrior tradition
Ayudha Puja, also known as Shastra Puja, is observed widely across southern and parts of central India during Vijayadashami — the tenth and final day of Navratri. The practice traces back to the tradition of warriors consecrating their weapons before battle, seeking divine sanction for righteous force. For security forces today, it carries the same symbolic weight: honouring the instruments of protection.
Reddy's participation placed him alongside his security detail in a shared act of reverence — an image that bridges the political and the personal, the minister and the men and women who serve alongside him every day.
A festival of victory, observed across India
Vijayadashami, also celebrated as Dussehra, marks the triumph of good over evil — most commonly associated with Lord Rama's victory over Ravana, and in eastern India, with the departure of Goddess Durga. It is among the most widely observed Hindu festivals, with processions, effigy burnings, and rituals unfolding from the Himalayas to the coasts.
The practice of ministers and public officials participating in Ayudha Puja with their staff has become a visible, recurring feature of the festive season — a moment where hierarchy yields to shared tradition.
On the day that celebrates the unconquered and the victorious, the Minister's prayer was simple and ancient: may the right arm be strong, may victory follow.
Point of View
Reinforcing connectedness to southern traditions. The Sanskrit invocation he chose, rather than a generic greeting, signals an intent to engage with the theological depth of the occasion rather than merely its social optics. In the broader pattern of BJP leaders marking Hindu festival milestones publicly, it fits a consistent governance-culture communication strategy.
NationPress
20 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ayudha Puja and when is it observed?
Ayudha Puja, also called Shastra Puja, is a traditional Hindu ritual of worshipping weapons, tools, and instruments of work. It is observed on Vijayadashami, the tenth day of Navratri, and is especially prominent in southern and central India.
Why did Kishan Reddy participate in Ayudha Puja with security personnel?
Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy joined his security personnel for the traditional Ayudha Puja on Vijayadashami, a practice in which weapons and tools used in duty are consecrated and offered prayers — a ritual that honours both the implements and the people who wield them in service and protection.
What is the meaning of the Sanskrit verse Kishan Reddy posted?
The verse — 'Jayde varade devi dashamyam aparajite, dharayami bhuje dakshe jaya-labha-abhivridddhaye' — is an invocation to the goddess on the auspicious tenth day (Vijayadashami), beseeching her blessings for victory, gain, and prosperity in the right arm that bears arms.
What is Vijayadashami and how is it celebrated in India?
Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, is one of India's most widely observed Hindu festivals, marking the victory of good over evil — associated with Lord Rama's defeat of Ravana. It falls on the tenth day of Navratri and is marked by processions, effigy burnings, and rituals including Ayudha Puja across the country.
Who is G. Kishan Reddy?
G. Kishan Reddy is India's Union Minister of Coal and Mines and serves as the BJP's Telangana state president, making him one of the key central government and party figures representing Telangana.
