VIJAYA DASHAMI

In the Vedic culture there is a abundance of festivals among the people. There is one major festival which is known as VIjaya Dashami which translates to “Victory Tenth “. It is known by various names among the different regions of south Asia. In India it is known by the name of Dashera. This festival falls after the summer equinox passes, the first nine nights of the lunar months is believed to be conducive to be receptive of the divine feminine energy as each night is associated with nine different forms of the Goddess Parvati . The finer, subtle yet fierce aspect of the existence represented by the Goddess Shakti (power) is believed to have gained victory over the grosser, rigid and the fearful aspect of the existence represented by Mahisasura.

However since the ascetic of ancient Vedic culture has evolved into different forms in the region. The ways people celebrate this occasion varies in different part of the region. In Nepal it is commonly known as Dashain or BadA Dashain or Vijaya Dashami. It is regarded as the biggest festival in Nepal. The festival lasts for 10 days therefore the name Vijaya Dashami. The first day of this festival is called Ghatasthapana. On this day barley is sowed in a small puddle of mud and cow dung. It is called Jamaraa and is kept in sacred place away from the sunlight. It is worshipped and watered every day.

The seventh day is the next auspicious day and is called Fulpaati. Fulpaati translates to flower and leaves. On this day nine different types of flowers and leaves are brought into one's home. All of those nine plants are associated with the nine different forms of goddesses. Performing the action on this auspicious occasion is believed to bring wealth, health, and prosperity to the house. The eighth day is known as Astami. On this day the fierce form of the goddess “Kaali” is worshipped.

During the worship, different animals or birds are sacrificed and the blood is offered to the goddess. Along with the goddess, different types of Weapons are also worshipped on this day . During this day most of the temples associated with the fierce goddess are open to the public including the famous Taleju Bhawani temple of Durbar Square. This night is known as Kaal ratri and in some places, people wake up all night worshipping the might of the fierce goddess. The next day known as Maha Navami is an important day of this festival.

On this day Goddess Durga is believed to have slayed the demon Mahisasura. So on this occasion, buffaloes are offered as a sacrifice in the name of the goddess. However, the culture is evolving and the practice of sacrificing animals has dropped down in recent years. Even though of the political and social campaigns people in rural Nepal still follow this practice .

The tenth day or the Vijaya Dashami is the day for celebrating the victory of the good over the evil. In Nepal this day is celebrated by receiving “Tika” which is a mixture of rice , yoghurt from elders. Tika refers to sacred marking on ones forehead. With the Tika blessings and gift(money) from elders is the main aspect of the day . After the ceremony feasts are held and relatives gather in one place.

People visit relatives in order to celebrate this festival. There are other aspects of this festival; traditionally this festival is associated with good food and new clothes. Among the children the amount collected after receiving Tika is one big thing. In the rural villages where people had less privileges , this festival is the time for people to enjoy after the hard work . After harvest people can finally enjoy their life by doing variety of things. One famous part of this festival are the swings.

People make a huge swing using wood or bamboos as poles, whereas the ropes are made up by twisting a specific type of grass called “Baabiyo” .In recent years bamboos are more practical than the traditional wooden poles. However the process may vary from place to place as in some rural areas a four seater Ferris wheel made up with wood is also popular. With relatives gathering in one place, playing cards and drinking is widely popular. In this festival different types of fairs are organized in different places. These events might be sports, music or other types of entertainment.