DASHAIN
Dashain,also termed as Vijaya Dashmi or Navaratri, is one of the largest and longest festival for Hindu
people in Nepal. It starts typically in September or October depending on the BS (Bikram Sambat)
calendar. It lasts for 15 days. It brings the Nepali people group together providing the sense of unity.
Most of the abroad Nepali people visit their home to celebrate this festival with their family. The
common things that the people do during this festival is visit the temples, perform rituals,
acknowledge a higher benevolent god that looks over the mortals to foster a liveable society. This
leads the thinking of Nepali people towards the spiritual side of life. In Nepal, not only the hindus, but
people from other religion also comes together to celebrate this festival. Few days of this festival have
lot more significance in terms of the spiritual thinking of Hindus. First 9 days are seen with the
significance of worshiping 9 different avatars of goddess Durga (Day 1 - Shailaputri, Day 1 -
Brahmacharini, Day 3 - Chandraghanta, Day 4 - Kushmanda, Day 5 - Skandamata, Day 6 - Katyayani,
Day 7 - Kaalratri, Day 8 - Mahagauri, Day 9 - Siddhidatri).
Day 1 (Ghatasthapna): This is the first day of this festival. A male member of family will plant jamara
(usually barley seeds) in moist soil, which is kept throughout the 10 days of the festival. These seeds
will have grown into green or yellow grass which along with the tika are used to bless the people with
prosperity and happiness.
Day 7 (Saptami - Fulpati): Special part of the festival starts from this day. Sacred flower offerings from
Nuakot durbar to Hanuman dhoka is brought to mark this day. During this, the Nepal Army and Police
along with the Panchebaja joins this as a parade. In the mean time, Nepali people clean their houses,
decorate their houses with flowers. Kite flying starts from this day. People enjoys playing traditional
swing. People starts enjoying with barbecues, local & special drinks, card games, visit fair around the
market or temples. An image from the examples is as follow:
Day 8 (Maha Aastami): This day is marked as the day of sacrifice when people sacrifice goats, sheep,
ducks, hens, buffaloes to the goddess to make her happy. Different casts celebrate this day in
different traditional way. Celebration continues this day as well. People visits the temple to offer
sweets and fruits to the goddess to get blessings. After that a special feast called bhoj is attended.
Day 9 (Maha Navami): This day is also important for the hindu people. On this day, people offer their
final worship to the goddess in their home and temples. In their home, people offer final rituals of
taking blessings from the goddess by doing havana using prepared hearth. This ritual is done for
spiritual purification. Apart from that, the people continues their enjoyment.
Day 10 (Dashami): This is the final day of the festival which is continued up to 15th day (Purnima - full
moon day). This day is also termed as the day of tika or Vijaya Dashami. The people take blessings
from their elder. The elder blesses their young with jamara and Dakshina (money). In this occasion,
the people also visit their relatives to get blessings. This day marks the battle between the goddess &
the daemons when the goddess defeated the daemons to save the world. Here is am image of a
Dakshina: