Introduction:During the month of Ashwin (late September and early October), the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country. Dashain, also known as Vijaya Dashami or Navaraatri is celebrated for almost 15 days. All days goes well with all the family members those are far or near. People from throughout world visit home to take blessing and celebrate it once in year. The interesting thing about is this festival is that, in Nepal it is given the days off for 5 days in Publilc sector while the Private sector as school, offices and so on celebrate it fully for 15 days off in Nepal. It’s a lovely custom, a beautiful part of Dashain culture, and hotels in Kathmandu expect this, and in fact, have accepted this. It would have been tough, anyway, to keep the staff working at full throttle during Dashain if business was as usual, since Dashain is a holiday that’s not going to be missed by anyone, including the staff of hotels in Kathmandu. Having said all this, let’s see what Dashain, Nepal’s biggest festival, is all about. Keep in mind that it’s a 10-day-long festival (pretty long by any standard, wouldn’t you agree?), and, keep in mind, also, that Nepal’s biggest festival involves a certain ritual that’s not so apt in this day and age; that is, animal sacrifice. There’s some hue and cry about cutting down on this aspect of Nepal’s biggest festival, but that’s easier said than done. A tradition that’s thousands of years old will certainly take some time to change, if at all.The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood.
Why Is It Celebrated?Dashain commemorates a great victory of the gods over the wicked demons. One of the victory stories told is the Ramayan, where the lord Ram after a big struggle slaughtered Ravana, the fiendish king of demons. It is said that lord Ram was successful in the battle only when goddess Durga was evoked. The main celebration glorifies the triumph of good over evil and is symbolized by goddess Durga slaying the terrible demon Mahisasur, who terrorised the earth in the guise of a brutal water buffalo. The first nine days signify the nine days of ferrous battle between goddess Durga and the demon Mahisasur. The tenth day is the day when Mahisasur was slain and the last five days symbolise the celebration of the victory with the blessing of the goddess. Dashain is celebrated with great rejoice, and goddess Durga is worshiped throughout the kingdom as the divine mother goddess.
Ghatasthapana: The first day of Dashain is called Ghatasthapana, which literally means pot establishing. On this day the kalash, (holy water vessel) symbolising goddess Durga often with her image embossed on the side is placed in the prayer room. The kalash is filled with holy water and covered with cowdung on to which seeds are sown. A small rectangular sand block is made and the kalash is put in the centre. The surrounding bed of sand is also seeded with grains. The ghatasthapana ritual is performed at a certain auspicious moment determined by the astrologers. At that particular moment the priest intones a welcome, requesting goddess Durga to bless the vessel with her presence.
Dashain Ghar:
Ghatasthapana or Kalashsthapana is a ritual which marks the onset of Navratri.Kalash means pot and Sthapana means to establish or place,so kalashsthapana literally means establishing the pot..A pot containing holy water is considered as symbol of Goddess Durga. It is placed in puja room and worshiped for nine days.The room where the kalash is established is called ‘Dashain Ghar‘. Generally women are not allowed to enter the room where Dashain puja is being carried out. A priest or a household man worships the kalash everyday once in the morning and then in the evening. The kalash and the sand are sprinkled with holy water everyday and it is shielded from direct sunlight. By the tenth day, the seed will have grown to five or six inches long yellow grass. The sacred yellow grass is called ‘Jamara’. It is bestowed by the elders atop the heads of those younger to them during the last five days when tika is put on. The jamara is taken as a token of Goddess Durga as well as the elders blessing.
Fulpati:Navapatrika is decorated outside the house and carried inside the Dashain Ghar. It is carried inside the pooja ghar at seventh day at any timeof the day depending upon the family tradition. After this, navapatrika Puja is carried out. The fulpati is kept in Dashain Ghar and worshiped along with the Jamara planted in Ghatasthapana day. Navapatrika is taken out of pooja ghar in the 10th day and Bisarjan in Holy River. There is a tradition where people bisarjan it on the 15th day with bisarjan with Jamara. The government officials also join the fulpati parade. With this the Dashain feasting starts.
The eighth day, the Maha Asthami:
The fervour of worship and sacrifice to Durga and Kali increases. On this day many orthodox Hindus will be fasting. Sacrifices are held in almost every house through out the day. In Kasthamandap, temple made from one tree in Kathmandu Durbar Square, there used to be thousands of bull sacrificed in the name of God before the banned of tradition to sacrifice in open place.The night of the eighth day is called ‘Kal Ratri’, the dark night. Hundreds of goats, sheep and buffaloes are sacrificed at the mother goddess temples. The sacrifice continues till dawn. While the puja is being carried out great feasts are held in the homes of common people where large amount of meat are consumed.
The ninth day,Nawami:
Temples of mother goddess are filled with people from dawn till dusk. Animals mostly black buffaloes are slaughtered to honour Durga the goddess of victory and might and to seek her blessing. Military bands play war tunes, guns boom and officers with beautifully decorated medals in full uniform stand there. When the function ends the courtyard is filled ankle deep with blood. On this very day the god Vishwa Karma, the God of creativity is also worshiped. All factories, vehicles, any machinery instruments and anything from which we make a living are worshiped. We also give sacrifices to all moving machinery like cars, aeroplanes, trucks etc. to get the blessing from goddess Durga for protection for vehicles and their occupants against accidents during the year. The entire day is colourful. This day is oftenly regarded as Kaalratri.
The tenth day, Dashami:
On this day we take tika and jamara from our elders and receive their blessing. We visit our elders in their home and get tika from them while our younger ones come to our home to receive blessing from us. The importance of Dasain also lies in the fact that on this day family members from far off and distant relatives come for a visit as well as to receive tika from the head of the family. This function continues for four days.
Kojagrata Purnima:After four days of rushing around and meeting your relatives Dashain ends on the full moon day, the fifteenth day. In the last day people stay at home and rest. The full moon day is also called ‘Kojagrata’ meaning ‘who is awake’. The Hindu goddess of wealth Laxmi is worshipped. On this day the goddess Laxmi is given an invitation to visit each and everyone.
Fun but Curse:
After Dashain everyone settles back to normal. After receiving the blessing of goddess Durga, people are ready to work and acquire virtue, power and wealth. Dashain thus is not only the longest festival but also the most anticipated one among all the festivals of Nepal. Many people celebrate the festival with grate pomp and shows. Celebration are often extravagant. Widespread drinking and gambling often lead to quarrels and fights. For poor people Dashain is rather a curse it is very difficult for them to afford for the traditional celebrations. Many are left bankrupt due to their extravagance. The sacrifices offered to the goddess is very terrific people fall victim to indigestion , food poisoning and accidents. Before Dashain there are a lot of crimes such as pick pocketing, robbery, and loots. Market price often tend to rise before and on the eve of the festival. Such evil aspects of Dashain need to be curbed or discarded.
