Bada Dashain: Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami Festival today

Kathmandu: Hindus throughout the country are observing the eighth day of the Bada Dashain festival as the Maha Ashtami festival today by worshipping Goddess Durga Bhawani. This year both the Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami are being celebrated as per the lunar calendar.

On this day, people offer special worship to the goddesses Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, and Maha Saraswati. This day of the Dashain festival is considered a special day when Goddess Durga attained power.

People perform religious rituals at the Dashain Ghars and armories, worship the goddess at various shrines by offering animal sacrifices, and read the Durga Saptashati scriptures.

Special worship is performed to Durga Bhawani today on the occasion of the Mahanawami and the ‘jamara’ which has been germinated is offered to the goddesses at various shrines. He-goats, ducks, roosters, and he-buffalos are sacrificed at the various temples dedicated to the goddesses.

Those who do not have the tradition of offering animal or bird sacrifices, offer the sacrifice of fruits and vegetables to the goddess. The Durga Saptasati and Devi Strota scriptures are also recited at home and in temples on this day.

Devotees have been thronging various goddess shrines in the Kathmandu Valley since early this morning to offer worship and sacrifice goats and ducks.

Similarly, people throng the various goddess temples throughout the country today to offer worship, sacrificing goats, ducks, and roosters. Special Durgapuja worship and prayer ceremonies are held at the Dasain Ghars. People also worship the weapons, vehicles, and machines.

People who do not sacrifice animals offer sacrifices of various vegetables and fruits in place of animals. Also on this day, a special Kalaratri worship is held at midnight at the Dashain Ghar of Hanumandhoka in the capital city.

RSS