The word Dushaharaa comes from "Dash" means ten; and "haraa" means annihilated. Thus Dushaharaa is the day on which a ten-faced evil was annihilated. 

Dushaharaa is the festival of Kshatriya. Right after Pitra Paksh of sixteen days, starts the second Nav Ratri of the year in Aashwin Maas. First Nav Raatri was in Chaitra Maas. This Nav Raatri is celebrated in the same way as it was celebrated in Chaitra Maas. Except that After the Chaitra Nav Raatri comes Ram Navamee, Lord Raam's birthday, and after this Nav Raatri comes Dushaharaa, the day Lord Raam killed Raavan the great demon.

During this Nav Raatri in every village, town, city, Raamleelaa drama is played in which the whole story of Raamaayan is retold. The tenth day, on the day of Dushaharaa (10th day) Lord Raam kills Raavan. Large fairs are arranged, and during the late evening (about after 5.00 pm) life-like images of Raavan and kumbhkarn are built with wood, paper etc material and some fireworks are burned to depict the victory of Good on Evil.

In houses, Dushaharaa an image is drawn on the floor with cow dung, people worship it around noon, then take good food, take a nap, and then go to Dushaharaa fair. Kshatriya worship their weapons and Vaishya write the current prices of main items in a new book.

This day is important for farmers also. Farmers go out in their farms and try to see a bird called Neelkanth (a bird with blue throat). If they can find this bird in their farms, they feel lucky, because if this bird is there, they need not to worry about many kinds of natural worms and insects which may destroy their crop.