Vijayadashami also known as Dussehra or Ayudhapuja is an

important Hindu festival celebrated in a variety of ways

in India, Nepal .
"Dussehra" is derived from Sanskrit; Dasha-hara is a form
of Dashanan ravan ("Ravana's defeat").
The day marks the victory of Durga over the demon Mahishasura.
The goddess fought with evil for ten days and nine nights.
"Vijayadashami" is derived from the Sanskrit vijaya-dashami (victory
on the dashami: the tenth day of the Hindu month). Diwali, the
Festival of Lights, is celebrated twenty days after Vijayadashami.

Vijayadashami is celebrated on the tenth day of brighter fortnight the

month of Ashwin according to the Hindu calendar, corresponding to
September or October of the Gregorian calendar. The first nine days
are celebrated as Navratri (Devnagari: नवररातत, "nine nights"),
culminating on the tenth day as Dussehra.
Since the harvest season begins in India and Nepal at this time,
the Durga is invoked by religious rituals to begin the harvest season
and renew the fertility of the soil. Many Hindus observe the festival
with social gatherings and food offerings to the gods at home and in
temples throughout India and Nepal.
Victory of Ram over Ravana

On this day Ram (the seventh avatar of Vishnu) killed Ravan, who had
abducted Ram's wife Sita to his kingdom Lanka. Ram, his
brotherLakshman, their disciple Hanuman and an army fought a
battle to rescue Sita. The story is recorded in the Hindu epic,
the Ramayan.
On the day of Ashvin Shukla Dashami, Ram defeated Ravana and
rescued Sita.
Based on inferences
from Valmiki's Ramyan, Kālidās'sRaghuvaṃśa, Tulsidas’ Ramcharitma
nas and Keshavdas' Ramchandrika, Ram, Sita and Lakshman returned
to Ayodhya on the 30th day of Ashwin (19–20 days after
Vijayadashami). To celebrate Ram's return, in the evening the city's
residents lit millions of earthen lamps (deepak); the day is celebrated
in India as Deepawali (Diwali 2016).
Observers recite Sundar Kaand (the fifth book of the Ramayan) for
five days. Yajnas are thought to keep the household clean and
healthy. Some perform yajnas and Sandhyavandanam three times a
day to keep the heart, brain and digestion balanced in the absence of
adequate winter sunlight.