Dashain Day

Manyaa , This is 10th day, known as Vijya Dashami.On this day, a mixture of rice, yogurt and vermillion will be prepared by the women. This preparation is known as "tika". Elders put this on the forehead of younger relatives to bless them abundance in the upcoming years. The red also symbolizes the blood that ties the family together. Elders will give "Dakshina", or a small amount of money, to younger relatives at this time. This continues to be observed for five days till the full moon dur­ing which period families and relatives visit each other to exchange gifts and greetings. On the fifteenth day of the festival – the last day – the people of Nepal settle down to rest.

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.

In several parts of Nepal, Dashain is the only time of the year when people receive a set of new clothing. Likewise, in poorer families, the animal sacrifice is eagerly anticipated since it might be the only animal protein the family would eat all year. This may be true in certain parts of Nepal where food is in low supply, but is less so in the cities.

Happy Vijaya Dashami Manyaa Love you my Cute Beta

Maha Nawami

The ninth day is called Maha-nawami which means the great ninth day. This day is the last day of Navarati. Ceremonies and rituals reach the peak on this day. On this day official military ritual killings are held in the ‘Kot’ courtyard of the Hanuman Dhoka royal palace. On this occasion, the state offers the sacrifices of buffaloes under the gunfire salutes. This day is also known as the demon-hunting day because members of the defeated demon army try to save themselves hiding in the bodies of animals and fowls.

On this day the Vishwakarma, the god of creativeness is also worshipped. Artisans, craftsmen, traders, and mechanics worship and offer animal and fowl blood to their tools, equipment, and vehicles. This is done to keep the means of work happy. It is believed that worshipping the vehicles on this day avoids accidents for the year.

The Taleju Temple gates are opened for the general public on only this day of the year. Thousands of devotees go and pay respect to the goddess this day. The temple is filled with devotees all day long. 

Maha Astami

Manyaa eighth day of Dashain is also important, called the 'Maha Astami'. This is the day when the most demonic of Goddess Durga’s manifestations, the blood-thirsty Kali, is appeased through the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of buffaloes, goats, pigeons and ducks in temples throughout the nation. Blood, symbolic for its fertility, is offered to the Goddesses. Appropriately enough, the night of this day is called Kal Ratri (Black Night). It is also the norm for buffaloes to be sacrificed in the courtyards of all the land revenue offices in the country on this day. The old palace in Basantapur Hanuman Dhoka, is active throughout the night with worships and sacrifices in almost every courtyard. On the mid-night of the very day the Dashain Ghar, a total of 54 buffaloes and 54 goats are sacrificed in observance of the rites. After the offering of the blood, the meat is taken home and cooked as "Prasad", or food blessed by divinity. This food is offered, in tiny leaf plates, to the household Gods, then distributed amongst the family. Eating this food is thought to be auspicious. While the puja is being carried out great feasts are held in the homes of common people.

Fulpati

Ok Manyaa , Today is the 7th Day of Dashain , known as Fulpati, one of the major days of Dashain. On this day the jamara to be used by the royal family(not now when there used to be King in our country) is brought from Gorkha palace, their ancestral house. The Fulpati (jamara and the other items that is necessary for tika) is brought after a three day walk from Gorkha district (about hundred and sixty nine kilometers away from the valley of Kathmandu ).A parade is held in the Tundikhel ground in Kathmandu. This tradition of getting the jamara from the ancestral house started when King Prithvi Narayan Shah , father of the nation shifted to Kathmandu. The royal Kalasha, banana stalks, jamara and the sugar cane tied with red cloth is brought by the Brahmans from Gorkha which is led by the military platoon of the royal priest. Hundreds of government officials gather together in the Tundikhel grounds in conventional formal dress to witness the event. The king observes the ceremony in Tundikhel while the Fulpati parade is headed towards the old royal palace. Then there is a majestic display of the Nepalese Army along with a firing that continues for ten to fifteen minutes in the honor of Fulpati. The Fulpati is taken to the Hanuman Dhoka Royal palace by the time the occasion ends in Tundikhel.

Ghatasthapana घटस्थापन – Kalashsthapana

Manyaa Darling this is your first Dashain being in this world. Last year you were there but not totally. Let me tell you what really the Dashain means here in Nepal.

Ghatasthapana is the first day of Dashain or Navaratra ( in India ) which means pot establishing with holy water.The  pot/kalash is filled with holy water and covered with cow dung on to which seeds of maize,paddy,barley 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 pundits. At that particular moment the priest intones a welcome, requesting goddess Durga to bless the vessel with Her presence. At the end of  Navratri the shoots reach a height of 3-5 inches. These are pulled out and given to devotees as form of blessings.

Something in Hindi

“मम महामायाभगवती ( वा मायाधिपति भगवत ) प्रीतये ( आयुर्बलवित्तारोयसमादरादिप्राप्तये वा ) नवरात्रव्रतमहं करिष्ये ।”

यह संकल्प करके मण्डलके मध्यमें रखे हु‌ए कलशपर सोने, चाँदी, धातु, पाषाण, मृत्तिका या चित्रमय मूर्ति विराजमान करे और उसका आवाहन आसन, पाद्य, अर्घ्य, आचमन, स्त्रान, वस्त्र, गन्ध, अक्षत, पुष्प, धूप, दीप, नैवेद्य, आचमन, ताम्बूल, नीराजन, पुष्पाञ्जलि, नमस्कार और प्रार्थना आदि उपचारोंसे पूजन करे ।

स्त्री हो या पुरुष, सबको नवरात्र करना चाहिये । यदि कारणवश स्वयं न कर सकें तो प्रतिनिधि ( पति – पत्नी, ज्येष्ठ पुत्र, सहोदर या ब्राह्मण ) द्वारा करायें ।  नवरात्र नौ रात्रि पूर्ण होनेसे पूर्ण होता है । इसलिये यदि इतना समय न मिले या सामर्थ्य न हो तो सात, पाँच, तीन या एक दिन व्रत करे और व्रतमें भी उपवास, अयाचित, नक्त या एकभुक्त – जो बन सके यथासामर्थ्य वही कर ले ।