Kathmandu, October 15
The Navaratri, a nine-night festival known as Bada Dashain, has commenced today. It is one of the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated in Nepal.
Ghatasthapana marks the first day of Bada Dashain and falls on Aswin Shukla Pratipada, the first day of the bright half of the lunar calendar month Asoj or Kartik. According to the Nepal Calendar Fixation Committee, the auspicious time for observing Ghatasthapana this year is at 11.29 am.
Ghatasthapana involves sowing maize and barley seeds in a pot filled with soil with Vedic rituals to initiate the germination of the auspicious Jamara (shoots).
The Navaratra or Navaratri Parva, a festival dedicated to the Hindu goddess Nawadurga, is worshipped throughout the nine nights, each night dedicated to the goddess under her various names.
The festival begins with the worship of Shailaputri and continues with reverence for deities such as Brhamacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalarati, Mahagauri, and Siddhirati.
The Committee has also announced that the auspicious time for bringing Dashain Phulpati home is 9.35 am on October 21. The auspicious time to put on the Dashain tika is 11.02 am on October 24.
