Jamara placed in Nasal Chowk’s Dashain Ghar (Photo Feature)

Kathmandu: Today is Ashwin Shukla Pratipada ‘Ghatasthapana.’ On this occasion, rituals of the first day of Dashain, Ghatasthapana,  were performed in Dashain Ghar, Nasal Chowk, Hanuman Dhoka at the auspicious time of 9: 16 a.m. On the occasion, the Nepali Army’s Guruju Paltan performed a Mangal Dhun.

With this, the biggest festival of Nepali Hindus, Dashain, has begun. It is believed that the Dashain begins after placing Ghatasthapana at home. On the day of Bada Dashain (Tika), the grown Jamara, and Tika are taken as a Prasad of Goddess Durga. According to the Nepal Panchang Judging Committee, the auspicious timing of putting Tika this year is 11: 36 a.m.

There is a tradition of fetching the soil from the nearest holy river. The worship room (Puja Kotha) of the house is cleaned and made pious with cow dung. A bed of soil is made in the room to spread the grains. People even prepare the bed for the soil in a vase or vessel in the room. Then, grains including barley, rice, corn, and maize are spread over the bed of the soil.

(Glimpses of the rituals performed in Nasal Ghar)

(Photo Courtesy : Saroj Basnet)

Nepali version of the photo story