The greatest festival of Nepal, Dashain is celebrated on Ashoj Kartik which comes in September end or early October. This main festival in Nepal which means the ten days celebrations. On the first day, in every house, the ceremony of Ghatasthapana is performed. It is entirely a domestic observance confined to one’s own household and on this day, an idol of Bhagwati is placed at the beginning of the festival which is for a nine-day worship. A puja room is selected to place the idol; it is known as Dashain-Ghar in Hanuman Dhoka Durbar.
An earthen pitcher painted in white and yellow stripes represents the Kalash and over the Kalash, a handful of rice is kept in a dish and over it, is mounted the icon of Bhagwati. In a corner of the room, a mixture of barley and maize seeds is shown with a view to having yellow seeding by the tenth day. The desired color of the sprouts is caused by covering the seeds with a vessel. During this festival, the deity mounted on the Kalash is worshiped during Dashain for all nine days.
All the arms, weapons of the household are also worshipped during Navaratra and animal sacrifice is made but some people do not sacrifice animals. Hen, goats, ducks and buffaloes for sacrifice in the name of God. The 8th and the 9th nights are special occasions for a greater number of sacrifices and Kubindo (white pumpkin) is a substitute for the animal sacrifice.
Phoolpati is brought every year on the seventh day of Navaratra from the town of Gorkha original palace of the King before the unification of Nepal. Phoolpati is brought to Kathmandu from Gorkha and its procession starts from Ranipokhari. A Brahmin priest in a yellow garment known as dhoti with Phoolpati on his shoulders awaits to be received by the procession. After Phoolpati arrives, it is kept by the side of the Dashera deity and on the same night a goat or a buffalo is sacrificed. This night is known as Kalratri, the night of sacrifice. Ashtami, the 8th day is celebrated with the worship of a goddess by sacrificing animals.
Again on the ninth day, popularly known as Naumi of Navratri, animal sacrifice is offered to Bhagwati. Animal sacrifice representing the state is done on a huge scale in the historic quadrangle of Kot on the ninth morning and all the regiment flags, arms are put up for display at Kot. Formerly, every senior state official had to donate a buffalo and every junior employee a goat for sacrifice at Kot.
The tenth day is known as Dashain (Teeka), the day for putting the Teeka mark. By then barley and maize seeds will have sprouted into yellow plants (Jamara) which are pulled out and used as the main item in the Teeka ritual. The Teeka ceremony consists of getting smeared on one’s forehead a mixture of vermilion rice and curd and receiving a bunch of yellow plants (Jamara). Every one who is junior in age should go to have Teeka from the hands of his seniors.
Vijaya dashami SMS for friends for wishing happy dashain:
Khusi timro ko kahile kam na hos
kakh ma timro ko Kohi na ruos
jaile pani kunai dukha paryo
Bhane Maa Durga ko aashis Tapaiko saath hos
Bijayadashami ko Subhakamana
Mata ko jyoti se noor mildai chha.
Sabaiko dil ma sukun mildai chha.
jo pani janchha mata ko darbar ma,
Usalai Kehi na kehi aasis milchha.
Bijayadashami ko Subhakamana
Bijayadashami ko shubha pawan aswar ma
Tapai ra Tapaiko pariwar ko jivan ma sukha,
samaridh ra santi chhaos.
Vijayadashami ko Subhakamana
Khusi Ko Tyohar,
Maya Ko Bauchaar,
Sukha Ko Bahar,
Yo Bijayadashmi Ko Shubh Din
Tapailai Milos Khusi Hazar Bar..
Vijayadashami ko Subhakamana
Phul Kunai dina Tapai ko Khutta ma Huncha,
Kahile na hos dukha Ko Samna,
Bato Biraudai aaye ma Tapai Ko aangan ma,
Tayehi Ko subh Awasarma shubhakamana.
Bijayadashami ko Subhakamana
