This is the longest Hindu festival in Nepal, traditionally celebrated for 15 days from the Shukla paksha (bright lunar fortnight) of the month and ending on Purnima (full moon).

The festival marks the victory of the Goddess Durga over the Demon Mahisasur. As part of celebrations, devotees visit various temples of Goddess Durga, Mahalaxmi, Mahakali, and Mahasaraswati and other deities reminiscent of power, knowledge, and wealth.

Ghatasthapana (day 1), Fulpati (day 7), Maha Asthami (day 8), Maha Navami (day 9), Vijaya Dashami (day 10), and Kojagrata Purnima (day 15) are the most important events under Dashain each marked with a different set of rituals.

10:19 AM: The Best Time for Dashain Tika

According to the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Samiti (Calendar Determination Committee), the most auspicious time for receiving and offering Baba Dashain tika today is 10:19 AM (NPT).

However, as Bijaya Dashami is the most auspicious day of the 15-day long Bada Dashain festival, the Committee said that tika could be received and offered at any time today.

Likewise, the best time for Devi Bisarjan is 10:11 AM (NPT).

Tika is a mixture of rice grains, red vermilion powder, yogurt, and curd and put on the forehead of younger relatives as a blessing of the goddess Durga on this auspicious day. Moreover, jamara, newly-germinated barley or maize shoots, are worn behind the ears during Dashain.

However, the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has advised people to follow health protocols owing to the risk of COVID-19 infection.

Celebrate Dashain From Where You Are, Urges PM Oli!

On the occasion of the Bada Dashain festival, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has extended warm wishes to all the Nepali citizens at home and abroad.

He requested all Nepalis to celebrate the festival cost-effectively and hygienically and refrain from doing any malicious activities in the name of the festival.

“This Dashain, let’s celebrate it from the location where we are at the moment, considering the high risk of COVID-19 infection on senior citizens, children, and people with underlying health conditions,” said PM Oli.

He also informed that the ‘traditional public tika program’ at the Prime Minister’s Residence would not be held this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Dashain 2077 Greetings!

NepaliSansar wishes all the Nepalis at home and abroad a very Happy and Prosperous Dashain 2077!

May Goddess Durga bless your homes and families with prosperity, wealth, and Health. May this festival be a time of renewed joy, happiness, peace, hope, and strengthen the bond among family and friends.

Stay Tuned to NepaliSansar for Latest Festival News!

More Articles:

• Nepal Celebrates Fulpati Festival
• Dashain Festival 2020: Nepal’s Commercial Banks To Remain Closed For Five Days!
• Famous Durga Temples To Visit During Navaratri (Dashain) Festival 2020!
• Amid Pandemic Govt. Urges People Not to Enter/Exit Kathmandu During Dashain Festival!
• Amid Row with India, Nepal Plans to Build Ayodhyapuri Dham!
• Nepal Celebrates Gaura Parva Festival with Great Fervor!

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Kumbh Mela, the period during which lakhs come to take bath in holy rivers, is famous in all aspects, politically, spiritually, tourism and many others.

Millions of people from all walks of life attend this festival to be held at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh (UP) to bathe in holy waters of River Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical river Saraswati.

Visitors include people from almost all walks of life, including those normally unseen in open society such as ascetics, Aghoras and other religious people in different attires and some even naked.

As per the Hindu religion, bathe in these holy rivers during the period of Kumbh brings salvation from the cycle of birth and death.

“As per the government estimates, 100-150 million people including one million foreign tourists are expected to take part in this eight-day-long festival”.

As part of festival arrangements for the visiting pilgrims, organisers are planning high on temporary bridges, 600 mass kitchens and more than 100,000 portable toilets, tents as shelters that can accommodate thousands at a time, all in the small city that lies on the banks of two rivers.

Kumbh Mela 2019, The Special One!

Kumbh Mela is traditionally held once in three years in one of four Indian cities with Prayagraj being the largest one. The festival is majorly into three categories as Maha Kumbh Mela once in 12 years, Semi Kumbh Mela once in 6 years and Kumbh Mela once in three years.

The next ‘Kumbh Mela’ will be held in 2025.

But, with India’s General Election due in May 2019, the Government of India led by Bharatiya Janata Party of India is planning to observe ‘Kumbh Mela’ as the full version of the festival.

As the reports say, Yogi Adityanath-led UP Government is taking this as a prestigious event and planning to make it larger than ever with huge promotions, nationally and internationally.

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As part of the celebration, around 7,00,000 devotees are expected to visit the Pashupatinath temple to offer prayers on the occasion of the festival.

Teej, also known as Haritalika, is a three-day long festival mostly celebrated by Hindu women. While the married women pray for their husbands’ longevity, the unmarried observe the festival to pray for good husbands.

On the first day called Dar Khane Din, devotees eat delicious food items before midnight. Second is the main day, during which devotees observe fast throughout the day without even drinking water. Rishi Panchami is the third day, wherein, devotees break their fast after performing puja of Sapta Rishi.

Devotees celebrate this festival by observing fasts, singing devotional songs and offering prayers all through the day.

To mark the festival celebration, the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has already made necessary preparations to host devotees visiting the temple and has kept the temple open since 3 AM today.

“As Teej is primarily celebrated by women, the main temple complex will be off-limits to men on the day of the festival,” Pradeep Dhakal, Member Secretary, PADT.

PADT informed that it has arranged a tight security with 2,764 Nepal Police and 1,500 Armed Police Force personnel around the temple for crowd control and security. Besides, there will be around 4,000 volunteers to support them.

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