Kathmandu. The greatest festival of the Nepalis, Dashain, that begins every year from Ashwin Shukla Pratipada (the new moon day of the period of the waxing moon) has begun from today. The festival, celebrated in accordance to the lunar calendar, falls during September-October.

Dashain is celebrated for the full 15 days, with great revelry, beginning from the new moon day in the month of Ashwin (according to the lunar calendar) to the full moon day of the period of the brightening moon. The first day, known as Ghatasthapana, is marked with the installation of the sacred pot at the altar in puja room of every Hindu house.

The puja lasting for 10 days commences with the invocation of the Goddess Durga at the room of worship. On Ghatasthapana, the first day of ‘Navaratri’ or the nine nights of worship, people collect sand or soil from a clean, pure site and plant barley seeds on raised beds in the puja room. The barley seedlings, called ‘jamara’, are considered to be the favorite food of Goddess Durga. Jamara is also used in Naturopathy and in Ayurvedic medicine.

As per the tradition, the worship of the all powerful Goddess (Durga) is carried at ‘Dashain Ghar’ at Hanuman Dhoka Durbar from today till the tenth day of Dashain, following the Vedic rituals.  The auspicious hour for Ghatasthapana today has been calculated at 11: 46 Nepal standard time.