Kathmandu – Bada Dashain, Nepal’s biggest Hindu festival, began on Sunday with Ghatasthapana, the first day of the 15-day celebration.
At the historic Dashain Ghar in Hanuman Dhoka, jamara was planted following traditional Vedic rituals. Prayers were offered to Goddess Durga, while a sacred kalash was installed to formally begin Navaratri worship.
Across Nepal, families observed Ghatasthapana by cleaning their prayer rooms, establishing a kalash and sowing barley or maize seeds in a mixture of soil and sand. The seeds are kept away from direct sunlight and worshipped every morning and evening until they grow into yellow jamara.
Ghatasthapana falls on Ashwin Shukla Pratipada and represents the invocation of Goddess Durga. The first day of Navaratri is dedicated to Shailaputri, the first of the nine forms of the goddess.
The jamara grown from Ghatasthapana is offered with tika by elders to younger family members on Vijayadashami as a blessing for health, prosperity and protection.
With the installation of the sacred kalash and the planting of jamara, homes and temples across the country have entered a period of worship and preparation for the main Dashain celebrations.
Bijaya Dashami falls on October 21, this year.
