Dashain Festival in Nepal, Dashain Tika Time 2023

Publishded: 2022-12-25 | Total Views: 1258

The Dashain Festival is the Nepalese people's most celebrated and significant festival. This festival is the most awaited and cherished holiday in Nepal. For other Hindus, this festival is recounted in the Ramayana. This day also marks the start of many things like celebrating freedom, family togetherness, visiting relatives’ houses, and more. The main objective behind celebrating this day is for all Nepalese to come together and be happy in their families with this beautiful festival! It is celebrated not only by Nepalese but also by people from other countries as well.

The festival of autumn is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Durga over the demon Mahishasur. It’s a nine-day celebration, and the main event in the last three days is the fight between Durga and Mahishasur. This festival is also celebrated in India.

 

The Most auspicious time to receive a tika for this year is 11:02 a.m. on the 24th of October 2023 as per ''Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Bikas Samiti.''

 

What happens on different days of the Dashain festival?

Day 1: Ghatasthapana [15th of Oct, 2023]

On the first day of Durga Puja, the goddess is propitiated by placing her statue (Kalash) in the center of a rectangular sand block. Then a priest begins the Puja by asking Durga to bless it with her presence, and then continues for days. This tradition is performed during Navaratri. The Dashain Ghar is a room where all this happens. It’s traditionally allowed for family members only.  Every day one person from the family visits it to offer worship to the Kalash twice, once in the morning and then again as it sets before taking a break so that they can prepare tobacco. The Kalash is kept away from direct sunlight, and holy water is offered to it every day so that the seed will have grown to five or six inches long yellow grass by the tenth day of the festival. This sacred grass is known as Jamara. These rituals continue until the seventh day.

 

 Day 7: Phulpati [21st of Oct, 2023]

The Phulpati celebration is a major celebration occurring on the seventh day of Dashain. On this day, the royal Kalash, banana stalks, Jamara, and sugar cane tied with red cloth are brought by Magars from Gorkha, a three-day walk away in southern Nepal to Tundikhel, where hundreds of government officials gather together in formal dress to witness the event. The king used to observe it while the parade was headed toward Hanuman Dhoka Royal Palace. Then there is a majestic display of the Nepalese Army along with a celebratory firing of weapons that continues for ten to fifteen minutes honoring Phulpati.

The Phulpati is taken to Hanuman Dhoka Royal Palace by that time in Tundikhel, where a parade is held; the royal family in Nepal has been overthrown for many years, but the tradition of the holy offering of Phulpati goes to the residence of the President this year. The President has taken over the king’s social and religious roles after the end of the monarchy.

 

Day 8: Maha Asthami [22nd of Oct, 2023]

The eighth day of the Dashain festival is called Maha Asthami. This is the day when the fiercest manifestation of Goddess Durga, the bloodthirsty Kali, is appeased during the sacrifice of buffaloes, goats, hens, and ducks in temples throughout our nation. Blood is offered to the Goddesses, and appropriately enough, worshipers dance through the night wearing masks to honor their beloveds who were slain by this destructive deity.

 

Day 9: Maha Navami [23rd of Oct, 2023]

The ninth day of Dashain marks the start of Navaratri or mahanavami. On this day, everyone across the country performs a puja and Karttika smarthana rites to ward off evil spirits and help them return to their own world. Besides being called ‘kanwemmi’ after goddess Durga, it is also known as the demon-hunting day because a defeated demon army members try to save themselves by hiding in the bodies of animals and fowls. As it is believed that keeping these tools happy will prevent accidents for the year, artisans, craftsmen, traders, and mechanics worship and offer animal and fowl blood to their tools, equipment, and vehicles during this time

 

Day 10: Vijaya Dashami [24th of Oct, 2023]

The tenth day of the festival is known as “Vijayadashami.” On this day, rice, yogurt, and vermilion are prepared for this celebration. In fact, this ‘tika’ is believed to represent the love between mother and child. Often Dashain tika time occurs every year with a difference of five days. Elders put tika on the forehead of their younger relatives, believing that by doing so, they will bless them with abundance in their life. The red also symbolizes blood ties between family members and devotion to the ancestors. Therefore elders give ‘Dakshina’ (small amounts of money) to younger relatives at this time, along with blessings of all living members in a group.

 

Day 15: Kojagrat Purnima [28th of Oct, 2023]

On Kojagrat Purnima, Goddess Laxmi symbolizes wealth and prosperity. Many people enjoy the night by playing cards and much more because Goddess Laxmi is believed to descend on earth and showered whoever is awake all night with wealth and prosperity.

 

How is Dashain Celebrated in Nepal? 

Flying Kite

Kite flying during Dashain is a traditional activity of the festival. Colorful kites are flown from rooftops to remind God not to send rain. The ‘changā chet’ (cut your own string) sound is also heard before sunset during Dashain.

 

Playing Cards

At Dashain, playing cards is a crucial tradition for the family. While children are busy flying kites during Dashain, the older members of the family enjoy their time by getting together and playing cards with each other for fun and money.

 

Buying and Wearing new clothes

Wearing new clothes is an important part of the festival. The villagers, who are below the poverty line, get new clothes only during Dashain. They are offered to them only at reduced rates by shop owners. This makes shopping more attractive during the festival. Sales of clothes are high during this time period.

 

Playing Swings

Bamboo swings are constructed by community members with traditional methods of using ropes made from tough grass, bamboo sticks, wood, etc. The swings usually are constructed a week before Ghatasthapana and dismantled only after the festival of Tihar, which comes after Dashain. The height of some swings exceeds twenty feet. People of all ages enjoy the swings. They are especially famous with children.

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