Ghatasthapana performed at Hanumandhoka Durbar as Durga Paksha begins

KATHMANDU: Ghatasthapana was performed with Vedic rituals at the Dashain Ghar inside Hanumandhoka Durbar on the first day of Ashwin Shukla Pratipada, the opening day of Durga Paksha, today.

Kajiman Pyakurel, Office Chief at the Hanumandhoka Durbar Museum Development Committee, said the ritual was performed at the auspicious time of 9:13 am, given by the Nepal Panchang Nirnayak Bikash Samiti and that jamara, or barley shoots, were planted.

It is tradition at the Dashain Ghar to perform Ghatasthapana on behalf of the state, invoke Goddess Durga with rituals and conduct worship. In the Dashain Ghar, where Goddess Durga has been invoked, the first of the Navadurga, Goddess Shailaputri, is worshipped on the first day. Brahmacharini is worshipped on the second day, Chandraghanta on the third, Kushmanda on the fourth, Skandamata on the fifth, Katyayani on the sixth, Kalaratri on the seventh, Mahagauri on the eighth and Siddhidatri on the ninth. Along with the Navadurga, Mahakali, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati are also worshipped with rituals in the Dashain Ghar or in the prayer room.

Worship with sacrifices begins at the Dashain Ghar from today. On Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami, special worship is performed at the Kot, the armoury of Hanumandhoka, by sacrificing 54 billy goats and 54 billy buffaloes. This year, Maha Ashtami falls on Tuesday, September 30, and Maha Navami falls on Wednesday, October 1.

Temples of goddesses and shaktipeeths in Kathmandu and across the country are crowded with devotees and revellers for worship, prayer and obeisance, and many devotees go to shaktipeeths and goddess temples to perform worship with sacrifices.

From Ghatasthapana until the day of Maha Navami, Goddess Durga is worshipped with rituals. On the morning of Vijaya Dashami, after the goddesses who have been worshipped for nine days are immersed, tika is received from elders as a form of blessing and barley shoots are placed as a symbol of prosperity.

The practice of receiving tika and jamara from elders continues until Kojagrat Purnima. On Kojagrat Purnima, after the all‑sacrifice ritual is completed and Goddess Mahalaxmi is worshipped with rituals and a vigil is kept in the evening, the 15-day-long Bada Dashain festival concludes. This 15‑day period is also called Durga Paksha, as the goddess is worshipped with rituals for nine days, and the remaining six days are for receiving her blessings.

(With inputs from RSS)