Dussehra marks the victory of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, over the 10-headed demon king Ravana, who abducted Rama’s wife, Sita. In the epic Ramayana, Rama, with the assistance of the monkey-general Hanuman, attacks Lanka to rescue Sita and slays Ravana. In the southern states of India, Dussehra celebrates the triumph of Chamundeshwari, a form of Durga, over the demon Mahishasura.