INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 3Bada Dashain, the greatest and longest festival of Nepali Hindus,
has officially begun with Ghatasthapana, today.
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Ghatasthapana, the first day of Navaratri Parba or the
nine-night festival of Bada Dashain, falls on Aswin Shukla Pratipada, the first day of the bright half of the lunar calendar month Asoj or
Kartik.Ghatasthapana is observed by people by performing puja and setting up ghata or pot on which they sow the seeds of barley, wheat, corn
and rice at homes and temples in accordance with Vedic tradition
Deity Shailaputri is worshipped for observing Ghatastapana on the auspicious hour.
According to the Nepal Calendar
Determination Committee, 9.16 am is the auspicious time for sowing seeds in a mixture of sand and soil in a clay pot today.The sprouted
seedlings are called jamara
These are offered along with tika on the 10th day, which is observed as Vijaya Dashami.The committee has set 11:36 am as the most auspicious
time for Dashain tika on October 12 (Asoj 26).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.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com
