Shekhawat extends Vijayadashami greetings to the nation

Key Takeaways

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat posted Vijayadashami greetings on 20 October 2026 .

He opened with a couplet from the Ramcharitmanas by Tulsidas, invoking the glory of Lord Rama.

Vijayadashami (Dussehra) celebrates the victory of good over evil across two major Hindu traditions — Rama's defeat of Ravana and Durga's victory over Mahishasura.

Shekhawat's post reflects the Ministry of Culture 's emphasis on India's living religious and cultural heritage.

As MP from Jodhpur, Rajasthan , the minister represents a constituency with large-scale Dussehra celebrations.

On the morning of Vijayadashami 2026, Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat marked the festival with a Sanskrit verse and a message of unity for every Indian — a reminder that one of Hinduism's most celebrated occasions carries a charge that cuts across regions and languages.

Posting on Tuesday, 20 October, Shekhawat opened with a couplet from the Ramcharitmanas: 'बरषहिं सुमन देव मुनि बृंदा। जय कृपाल जय जयति मुकुंदा।।' ('Gods, sages and saints shower flowers — glory to the merciful, glory to Mukunda'), before extending 'heartfelt greetings on Vijayadashami, the festival that symbolises the victory of good over evil, to all fellow citizens.'

Dussehra's dual roots — Rama's triumph and Durga's victory

Vijayadashami — popularly known as Dussehra — falls on the tenth day of the Shukla Paksha of the Hindu month of Ashwin and is observed across India with two distinct but intertwined traditions. In the north and centre, effigies of the demon king Ravana are burned to mark Lord Rama's victory; in the east, it concludes the nine-night Navratri festival celebrating Goddess Durga's defeat of the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Both narratives converge on the same moral axis — the decisive, irreversible triumph of righteousness. The choice of the Ramcharitmanas verse is deliberate: composed by the poet-saint Tulsidas in the 16th century, the text remains among the most widely recited devotional works in northern India and gives Shekhawat's greeting an instantly recognisable cultural resonance.

Culture Ministry's emphasis on living heritage

As the minister responsible for India's cultural portfolio, Shekhawat's public observance of the festival aligns with the Ministry of Culture's broader agenda of foregrounding living traditions alongside monuments and archives. BJP-led governments have consistently used social media to mark the full calendar of religious and cultural occasions — a communications approach that reinforces the party's positioning as the custodian of India's civilisational heritage. For Shekhawat, the Jodhpur constituency he represents sits in the heart of Rajasthan, where Dussehra is marked with large public gatherings and the iconic burning of towering Ravana effigies — making the occasion personally resonant well beyond the ministerial brief. As Ravana effigies go up in flames across the country tonight, the minister's message from New Delhi lands with the oldest possible moral: good does not merely endure — it wins.

Point of View

He occupies a portfolio where the symbolic and the political frequently converge, and the choice of a Ramcharitmanas verse over a plain prose greeting signals a deliberate appeal to devotional sentiment. The post carries no policy content, but it fits a broader pattern of the ministry deploying social media to elevate living heritage alongside institutional programmes. In the run-up to any electoral cycle, such culturally resonant messaging builds low-cost, high-reach connect with core constituencies.

NationPress

20 Oct 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Vijayadashami and why is it celebrated?

Vijayadashami, also called Dussehra, is a major Hindu festival observed on the tenth day of the Shukla Paksha of Ashwin. It celebrates the victory of good over evil — Lord Rama's defeat of Ravana in the north and Goddess Durga's triumph over Mahishasura in the east.

Who is Gajendra Singh Shekhawat?

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is the Union Minister of Culture and Tourism in India and a senior BJP leader. He is a Lok Sabha MP from the Jodhpur constituency in Rajasthan.

What Sanskrit verse did Shekhawat quote in his Vijayadashami post?

He quoted a couplet from the Ramcharitmanas: 'बरषहिं सुमन देव मुनि बृंदा। जय कृपाल जय जयति मुकुंदा।।', which translates to 'Gods, sages and saints shower flowers — glory to the merciful, glory to Mukunda (Lord Vishnu/Rama).'

What is the significance of Dussehra in Rajasthan?

Dussehra is widely celebrated across Rajasthan with large public gatherings and the burning of tall Ravana effigies. Jodhpur, the constituency Shekhawat represents, is known for its festive Dussehra observances.

What is India's Ministry of Culture doing for heritage festivals?

The Ministry of Culture, under Shekhawat, has emphasised promoting India's living religious and cultural traditions alongside its monuments and archival heritage, including active social media engagement around major festivals.