Kathmandu: Dashain, also known as Bada Dashain, the greatest and the longest festival observed by Hindus in Nepal formally began from Sunday with Ghatasthapana.
The first day of the festival which also marks the beginning of Navaratri started with the sowing of barley, wheat, maize and paddy seeds by performing Puja and keeping a “Ghada” or an earthen pot at a sacred place of the house or in temples as per Vedic tradition.
“Today at Hanuman Dhoka, Dashain Ghar we kept Diyo, Kalash and Ganesh we worshipped Goddess Bhagwati-Durga Mata, Mahakali, Maha-Laxmi, Maha-Saraswati, Istadevi Sworipini Durga Bhagwati. Along with we chant Durga Kawach, Durga Path, Durga Satrasati chants hymns and worship them,” Dev Acharya, the priest of Dashain Ghar at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square told ANI.
The shoots sprouted from the seedling known as Jamara are taken out on the 10th day and worn along with ‘tika’ which is observed as Vijaya Dashami.
Though ‘tika’ can be received and offered from the day of Vijaya Dashami to Kojagrat Purnima, the most auspicious time for receiving and offering tika is 10:35 am on Vijaya Dashami as per the details from the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Samiti.