Dashain A Great Festival in Nepal 

Dashain or Vijaya Dashami also known as Badadashain is the longest Hindu festival in Nepal. Hindus, alongside their diaspora throughout the globe, celebrate this festival every year. It is celebrated for two weeks with prayers to Durga Mata. The tremendous harvest festival of Nepal, Dashain is a time for a family gathering, exchange of blessings, and varieties of Pujas. People from abroad went for different purposes including foreign employment and study often returning to the country, to have fun together with family and relatives during the festival. All offices, academic institutions, and different workplaces are closed throughout the ceremony of the festival. Dashain pleads with Goddess Durga, who had been created out of the power of all the Gods, armed with weapons from all of them. Goddess Durga, indicating powers, is worshiped and offered sacrifices for the devotees’ progression and prosperity. The ceremony of the festival is also referred to as Nauratha derived from the Sanskrit word for the identical festival Navaratri which interprets as Nine Nights. Malshree (praying song to Nawadurga Bhuwani) is sung during Nauratha, especially at night time. Ghatasthapana, Phool Pati, Mahaastami, Maha Nawami, and Vijaya Dashami are the sequential occasions underneath Dashain every marked with an exclusive set of rituals. Dashain falls in September or October, beginning from the Shukla Paksha (bright lunar night) of the month of Ashwin and ending on Purnima (Kojagrata Purnima), the full moon. Among the fifteen days from Gatashthapana to Purnima, on which it is celebrated, the most ceremony days are the first, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth.

1st Day: Ghatasthapana

Ghaṭasthāpana (a day of sowing Jamara) indicates the beginning of Dashain festival. It has a meaning of Kalasha or a pot, which symbolizes the goddess Durga. Ghaṭasthāpana falls on the first day of the festival. On this day people sow the barley seeds in a pot or vessel for Jamara (sapling of barley). People pray in the puja by asking Durga to bless the vessel with her presence. The goddess Durga is believed to live in the vessel during Navaratri. A member of the household worships the Kalash twice each day, as soon as in the morning and then in the evening. The Kalash is stored away from direct sunlight and holy water is supplied to it every day so that the seed will have grown to five or six inches longer throughout the nine days to 10 days. This sacred grass is recognized as Jamara. 

7th Day: Phulpati

Phulpati is known for taking the place of a social gathering on the seventh day of Dashain. The day is marked to honor Goddess Durga with 9 sorts of Phulpati (petals of flowers). The day celebrates the auspicious uncovering of reality over dishonesty and divinity over terror. Historically, on this day, the royal Kalash, banana stalks, Jamara, and sugar cane tied with pink textiles are added by Magars from Gorkha, a three-day walk, about 169 kilometers away from the Kathmandu Valley. 

Traditionally, hundreds of authorities officers acquired collectively in the Tundikhel grounds in the traditional formal gown to celebrate the event. The king used to look at the ceremony in Tundikhel while the Phulpati parade was headed in the direction of the Hanuman Dhoka royal palace. Then there is a majestic show of the Nepalese Army along with a celebratory firing of weapons that continues for ten to fifteen minutes honoring Phulpati. The Phulpati is taken to the Hanuman Dhoka Royal Palace when the event ends in Tundikhel, the place a parade is held. Since 2008, when the royal dynasty was overthrown, the two-century-old way of life is modified so that the holy supply of Phulpati goes to the house of the president. The President has taken over the king’s social and religious roles after the quit of the monarchy.

8th Day: Maha Asthami

The eighth day of the Dashain festival is called Maha Asthami. This is the day when the most fierce of Goddess Durga’s manifestations, the bloodthirsty Kali, is appeased through the sacrifice of animals: buffaloes, goats, hens, and ducks in temples all through the nation. Blood, symbolic of its fertility, is supplied to the Goddesses. The historical palace in Basantapur Hanuman Dhoka is lively for the duration of the night time with worship and sacrifices in nearly every courtyard. In the middle of the night of the very day the Dashain Ghar, a whole of fifty-four buffaloes and fifty-four goats are sacrificed in observance of the rites. After the supply of blood, the meat is taken home and cooked as blessed food. This blessed food is provided in tiny leaf plates to the family member. Eating this blessed food is a conception to be auspicious. While the puja is being carried out, remarkable feasts are held in the houses of frequent people. 

9th Day : Maha Nuwami

The ninth day of the Dashain is called Mahanuvami, “the wonderful ninth day”. This is the final day of Navaratri. Ceremonies and rituals attain a height on this day. On this occasion, the country gives the sacrifices of buffaloes underneath the gunfire salutes. On Mahanuwami, Durga, the mother goddess Devi, is worshipped as it is believed that all the matters which assist us in making a residence ought to be stored happily. Artisans, craftsmen, traders, and mechanics worship and provide animal and chicken blood to their tools, equipment, and vehicles. The Taleju Temple gates are opened to the wider public on solely this day of the year. Thousands of devotees go and pay to recognize the goddess this day. The temple is stuffed with devotees all day long. On the ninth day, the Taleju Temple which is generally out of bounds is open to the public. 

10th Day: Vijaya Dashami 

The tenth day of the ceremony is the ‘Vijayadashami’. On this day, a combination of rice, yogurt, and red abir is prepared. This event is recognized as “Tika”. Often Dashain tika time is special every year. Elders put this tika and Jamara which is sown in the Ghatasthapana on the brow of youth, spouses, and children to bless them with abundance in the upcoming years. Elders give “Dakshina”, or a little amount of money, to younger ones at this time alongside blessings. This continues to be taken place for five days until the full moon (Kojagrata Purnima). 

15th Day: Kojagrat Purnima

The closing day of the Dashain festival which lies on the full moon day is referred to as ‘Kojagrat’ Purnima. The literal meaning of Kojagrat is ‘awake’ (a person who is awake all night). On this day Goddess Laxmi is worshipped as it is believed that Goddess Laxmi qualifies people who are conscious all night to be wealthy and prosperous. People experience the nighttime enjoying telling stories, games, and lots more. With this, the festive season of Dashain remains closed till the next year’s Dashain.

Conclusion 

Dashain is the biggest festival in Nepal. Dashain known as Badadashain is the longest Hindu festival in Nepal. Hindus, alongside their diaspora throughout the globe, celebrate this festival every year. The tremendous harvest festival of Nepal, Dashain is a time for a family gathering, exchange of blessings, and varieties of Pujas. All offices, academic institutions, and different workplaces are closed throughout the ceremony of the festival. Dashain pleads with Goddess Durga, who had been created out of the power of all the Gods, armed with weapons from all of them. Ghatasthapana, Phool Pati, Mahaastami, Maha Navami, and Vijaya Dashami are the sequential occasions underneath Dashain every marked with an exclusive set of rituals.

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