Dashain is a mythological festival deeply rooted in ancient scriptures. While the Puranas mention the festival, they do not detail specific ritual procedures. Instead, the texts describe worshipping Goddess Durga to gain inner strength, achieve victory through that power, and express profound gratitude through celebration. Over time, Dashain evolved from a strictly religious practice into a vibrant social tradition. Today, the overwhelming popularity and widespread observance of Dashain are primarily driven by its strong social and community bonds. Even Nepalis living abroad celebrate Dashain with immense joy, passion, and enthusiasm. The heart of the festival lies in family reunions, shared togetherness, and honouring age-old cultural values.
Historically, our society observed four distinct Dashain festivals corresponding to the four seasons: Vasanta (Spring), Grishma (Summer), Sharad (Autumn), and Shishir (Winter). These were traditionally celebrated across four months: Chaitra, Ashadh, Ashwin/Kartik, and Poush. Today, however, most people primarily celebrate Chaite Dashain and Bada Dashain.
Our traditional festivals are intrinsically linked to nature, agriculture, and the environment, usually celebrated after harvesting major crops. Ghatasthapana involves placing holy water into a sacred vessel (Ghada) and invoking rivers, oceans, clouds, and the goddesses Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, and Mahasaraswati. The ritual begins by respectfully sowing barley seeds in the worship room, bringing agricultural life indoors. As the first day of the fortnight-long Dashain festival, Ghatasthapana The first day of the fortnight-long Dashain festival, Ghatasthapana, brims with exceptional fervour and excitement.
While various fruits are offered during worship, Dashain features a unique tradition: offering barley shoots (Jamara) to Goddess Durga and wearing them over the ears or on the head as a blessing. Barley seeds sown in soil and sand are kept covered to sprout into golden yellow shoots; wearing them imparts a distinct sense of sacred energy. Barley also holds significant Ayurvedic value—even communities that do not wear Jamara consume barley juice during Dashain for its health benefits.
Malshree melody and Navaratri
In the Kathmandu Valley, Dashain officially commences with the soulful tunes of the Malshree Dhun. Researchers believe this classical raga was composed during the reign of King Ran Bahadur Shah, evoking the sacred names of Gorakhnath and Goddess Kali.
Accompanied by traditional musical instruments, devotees visit various shrines, sacred spots, and temples of the Goddess throughout the nine days of Navaratri.
The Chandi recitations, comprising 700 verses from the Markandeya Purana, are traditionally recited daily during the nine days of Dashain. The scripture consists of 13 chapters with specific recitation guidelines. Those unable to recite the full text during the prescribed times worship and bow to the holy Chandi scripture throughout the ten days. In some families, reciting the Ramayana during Dashain is also a cherished tradition.
Each day of Navaratri is dedicated to venerating the nine forms of Durga. Although Durga has 32 revered names, nine are most prominent. As mentioned in the Chandi, these nine forms are Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri.
In the Kathmandu Valley, worshipping Mahishamardini and consecrating her idols is widespread. Sacred seats (piths) and temples dedicated to Tripurasundari, Brahmani, Maheshwari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrayani, Mahakali, and Mahalakshmi are found throughout the region. A particularly unique aspect of Nepali and Kathmandu Valley traditions is worshipping both idol representations of Goddesses and living young girls (Kumari).
Kumari worship expanded significantly during the Malla and Shah periods. King Jaya Prakash Malla, the last Malla ruler of Kathmandu, built the Kumari Ghar and established the custom of enthroning a young girl from the Shakya community as the living goddess. The grand chariot procession honouring the Living Goddess remains a vibrant living tradition from the Malla era to this day.
In the Goddess shrines, temples, and the Kumari Ghar, rituals continue to be conducted following sacred Panchamakara Tantric rites. On the seventh day of Dashain, known as Fulpati, there is a tradition of welcoming nine types of sacred flowers, leaves, and plants into the worship room. Plants like banana stems, wild turmeric, garden turmeric, Jayanti flower, wood apple (Bel), pomegranate, Manabriksha, and rice stalks are respectfully collected into the worship space with auspicious rituals.
From sowing the Jamara to welcoming the nine sacred plants (Navapatrika), every ritual connects us deeply with nature and the environment. These fruits and plants also hold significant medicinal and cosmetic value in Ayurveda, providing a wonderful educational reminder to recognise and utilise nature's healing flora. In some communities in Nepal, the Navapatrika is brought into the worship room on Ashtami instead of Saptami.
The eighth and ninth days of Dashain are called Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami. On these days, sacred fire sacrifices (Homa) are performed either in home worship rooms or at temples. Offerings of Charu (a ceremonial mixture of barley, sesame, rice, and ghee), coconuts, fruits, rice pudding (Kheer), garments, and ornaments are consigned to the sacred fire. The recitation of scriptures such as Durga Saptashati, Devi Purana, and Ramayana, which begins on Ghatasthapana, is concluded on Navami. During Chaite Dashain, Navami coincides with the birth anniversary of Lord Rama (Ram Navami), marked by special fasting and worship. Animal sacrifices are also widely performed at various goddess shrines and temples on Ashtami and Navami. The Devi Mahatmya recounts numerous demons slain by Goddess Durga to protect the deities, leading to the tradition of animal sacrifice to gain strength and victory in battle. In ancient times, human sacrifices were also practiced, though such practices are strictly forbidden in modern society. In our traditional scriptures, sacrifice is considered essential, acknowledging both the gentle and fierce forms of the Goddess. Sacrifices and Panchabali are deemed compulsory for the fierce forms, while the practice of Sugandha Bali—offering only fruits and vegetables—is also widely observed.
Idols of Durga
Even when depicted in fierce forms, the expressions on Durga's statues radiate serenity and peace. Statues with anywhere from two to eighteen arms are depicted holding various ceremonial weapons. Devotees offer special worship while reciting the Goddess's many revered names, such as Dashabhuja, Singhavahini, Mahishamardini, Jagaddhatri, Kali, Tara, Chhinnamasta, Jagatgauri, and Ambika. The Palanchowk Bhagwati temple, a sacred goddess pith in Kavre, is renowned for its antiquity and divine power.
Located about 55 kilometres from Kathmandu, this temple site hosts a massive fair during Dashain. Standing nearly three feet tall, the black stone idol of Bhagwati is an artistic masterpiece depicting Mahishamardini Bhagwati with eighteen arms. Its significance is heightened by an accompanying historical inscription—the earliest recorded inscription in Nepal mentioning the Shakta sect—where the deity is addressed by the name "Vijayshree."
According to local legends, the sculptor who created the Palanchowk Bhagwati idol also crafted the famous idols of Naxal, Nala, and Shobha Bhagwati. Carved from single blocks of stone, all four sculptures are celebrated for their unmatched artistic elegance and religious devotion, displaying classic Lichhavi-era characteristics.
Key features of Lichhavi-era stone sculpture evident here include the application of special protective coatings, graceful representation of Puranic narratives on a single relief, elaborate hairstyles, lifelike facial expressions, subtle anatomical contours, refined jewellery choices, detailed drapery folds, and balanced proportions.
Consecrated by Vijayaswamini, wife of Samrat Grihapati, during the reign of King Mandeva, this sacred idol offers priceless insights into the influence of Shaktism in ancient Nepali society.
Vijaya Dashami
The tenth day holds profound importance. After nine days of worshipping and visiting shrines, devotees receive the sacred water sprinkling (Abhisheka) from the Kalasha and accept Durga's blessings (Tika and Jamara) from elders and gurus. Dashain thrives as a festival that honours joint family customs and keeps community bonds alive. Even those without formal religious beliefs participate to seek blessings, show respect to elders, express love to the young, and strengthen social harmony. In the Newar community, Dashain is celebrated as 'Mohani', where both black Tika (Mohani Sinha) and red Tika are applied.
Kumari Puja is an essential part of Mohani in the Kathmandu Valley. Scholars explain that the term 'Mohani' originates from Goddess Kumari enchanting and subduing Mahishasura with her divine charm (Mohani). Numerous sculptures and paintings across the Valley depict the vanquishing of demons like Shumbha, Nishumbha, Chanda, Munda, and Durg; the goddess's titles (Chandi, Durga, and Mahishamardini) derive directly from these heroic victories.
Due to excessive commercialisation and blind imitation of Western influences, our festivals risk becoming overly lavish, expensive, and burdensome. If we fail to draw sensible boundaries, this trend could erode our cultural roots. We must all contribute to social reform through active discourse, writing, community outreach, and advocacy.
Preserving priceless festivals and passing them to younger generations requires dedicated efforts from policymakers, cultural experts, educational institutions, and youth organisations.
(The author is an academician at the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts.)
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