For millions of years, various tools have continued to put humans at the top of the food chain. Progressing in life without tools is nearly impossible. Farmers cannot farm without their agricultural tools; carpenters cannot drive nails into wood without a hammer, and scientists cannot fly a rocket in space without a computer. In India, tools, regardless of their purpose, are worshipped during the festival of Dussehra. This Dussehra, let's understand the significance of worshipping tools and how you can protect them.

Dussehra and Ayudha Puja

Dussehra marks the last day of Navratri when Goddess Durga slayed the demon Mahishasura. It is also known as Vijayadashami – Vijaya, meaning victorious and Dashami, meaning the 'tenth'. Dussehra represents the tenth day of celebrating the victory of good over evil. It is also the day of Ayudha Puja, which translates to 'worship of instruments'.

On this day, devotees clean, paint, or polish various tools like machines, books, and other equipment, that make them prosperous. On the evening before the day of Ayudh Puja, devotees place their equipment, books, musical instruments, laptops, etc., on a platform decorated with flowers. On the morning of Ayudh Puja, devotees worship the tools for the uninterrupted functioning that make their lives easy. In India, it is also customary for devotees to clean and wash their vehicles and tie flower garlands as a way to thank their vehicles for the convenience they provide.

Significance of Ayudha Puja

Ayudha Puja is associated with many legends, one of them being the worship of Goddess Durga's weapons that helped her defeat Mahishasura. The gods bestowed these weapons upon her, with each weapon representing a different force of nature. For instance, the Trishul gifted by Lord Shiva represents the three human qualities of lethargies, desires and purity. Lord Indra granted her a thunderbolt that symbolizes a strong will. All Goddess Durga's weapons have been worshipped since ancient times.

Ayudha Puja is also associated with the epic Mahabharata. Arjuna, the third of five Pandavas, hid war weapons in a tree before being forced into 13 years of exile. After 13 years, he retrieved his weapons from the tree and declared war on the Kauravas. In the Kurukshetra war, Arjuna emerged victorious, and the day when Pandavas returned home was Vijayadashami. Devotees also believe Vijayadashami is an excellent day to start new ventures or buy new items.

Protecting Modern Tools with Insurance

As the adage goes, 'God lives in all things'. This is why we, as Indians, adopt religious practices into our everyday lives and give them a modern outlook. In the 21st century, we rely on several modern tools to make our lives easy. For instance, we need vehicles to travel. We also need computers and laptops to earn our living.

However, a simple religious ritual does not suffice. The wise thing to do to truly secure these tools is to invest in insurance policies. If you own vehicles, you must invest in bike insurance and/or car insurance. Similarly, you must purchase cyber insurance to protect your laptops and computers.

This Dusshera, remember to invest in insurance to safeguard your valuables.