Dashain is one of the most auspicious festival in Nepal, which lasts for 15 days. It is one of the biggest and longest festival which is celebrated by Hindus of Nepal or elsewhere in the world including Bhutan and the Burmese Gurkha's of Myanmar, which is also known as Bijaya Dashami which means victory over demon. On this festival Hindu people prays Durga, the Universal mother Goddess.
Dashain lies in the month of September/ October (Ashwin), believed to be the happiest month of the year for Nepalese. Especially this time is for families, relatives and loved ones to get together and celebrate happily. In this auspicious time period people form all the part of the word return back to Nepal, to celebrate together to their owns.
All schools, colleges, governmental and non governmental offices remains closed during Dashain Festival. The festival falls in September/ October, starting from the Shukla Pakshya (bright lunar Night) of the month of Aswin and ending on Purnima, the full moon.
This festival represents the victory of goddess Duga over the demon Mahishashura. The first 9 days of Dashain symbolize the battle which took place between the different manifestation of goddess Durga and Demon Mahishasura, and the 10th day is the day when Goddess Durga finally got victory over Mahisashura. For other Hindus from India and other countries believed as the victory of Lord Ram over Ravana as recounted in the Ramayan. So, it is generally symbolise the victory of goodness over evil.Among the fifteen days on which it is celebrated, the most celebrated days are the first, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and fifteenth.
Day first: Ghatasthapana
The first day of Dashain is called as Ghatasthapana. On this day hindus make the small bed of sand and put the kalash (pot especially used to put holy water) in middle of the sand bed is filled with holy water and then swen with barley seeds especially rice, wheat and maze. the sand bed is make on rectangular shape and seeded with grains. The goddess Durga is believed to reside in the Kalash during Navaratri (the nine days between Ghatasthapana and Dashami).
The Kalash and sand bed with grains is worshiped twice a day and no one is allowed to enter to the room where it kept except the person who kept it. The sand bed is kept in the room with no light and sun and holy water is offered to it every day so that the seed will grown yellow 5 to 6 fit and used it on tenth day of festival as a Jamara.
Day seven: Fulpati
The seventh day of Dashain is called as Fulpati which mean flower and leaf day. On this day people use to tie flowers, fruits and holy symbols in red shawl and carried on a decorated wooden log with music called Naumati (9 different authentic musical instruments) across the town. This ritual is especially done by the royal families.
Day 8: Maha Asthami
The eighth day of Dashain is held for goddess Kali (incarnation of goddess Parvati wife of lord Shiva). This day is also known as bloody day. On this day Hindus sacrifices (bali) the head of various animals including goats, buffaloes, hens , lamps and many more for the sake of goddess Kali. It is believed that if you sacrifice animals on this day your all manifestation comes true. The night of the eighth day is also known as black night, so the grandparents of Nepalese suggest children's to not go out of home specially in midnight, otherwise bad spirits can follow you. After the sacrifice of animals to the goddess, those meat brought to the home and it is called as “Prasad”(blessing).
Day 9: Maha Navami
The ninth day of Dashain is known as Maha Navami, on this day the celebrations will reach the peak. On this day Hindus worship their own vehicles and airlines also prays aircraft's tires in the name of goddess Durga. It is believed that if you worship vehicles on this day goddess Durga will protect you from accidents in the coming year. The major temples Taleju Temples in Kathmandu, Patan of Lalitpur and Bhaktapur wil be open to the public only on this day of a year.
Day 10: Bijaya Dashami
The tenth day of dashain is known as Bijaya Dashami, it is the major day of Dashain. On this day, parents and relatives put tika (red cinnabar dot) on the child’s forehead, put Jamara In the ear, gives money and belssings. After tika people celebrates delicious foods and play cards. For this day every house cooks delicious foods and varieties of sweet breads including traditional Nepalese ring-shaped sweet fried dough made from rice flour. People makes ping (swing) from hay grass (khar) in different places. It is believed that you need to leave the earth at least once on this day so swings are made.
Day 15: Kojagrata Purnima
The fifteenth day of Dashain is known as Kojagrata Purnima(the full moon), on this day people worship the goddess Laxmi, god of wealth and luck. Kojagrata Purnima means “who is awake”, it means the blessing of luck and wealth from goddess Laxmi will come to the only people who is awake all night.