KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 1

The national holidays of the festival of Dashain will begin from tomorrow, the day of Saptami.

Dashain, the greatest and longest festival of Nepali people of Hindu community, is celebrated for over 12 days marked by five-day long holidays from Fulpati to Dwadashi.

On the day of Fulpati, people gather different materials like banana stalks, jamara, belpatra (leaves of wood apple) and sugarcane sticks tied with red cloth along with kalash and welcome goddess Durga or Kali, the supreme deity who is worshipped during the festival.

On this occasion, the Nepali Army officially announces the beginning of Dashain by holding parade at Tundikhel, including cannon firing, which is observed by the president and government officials every year. Similarly, a member of the Nepali Army will bring Fulpati on a decorated palanquin to Dashain Ghar at Hanumandhoka from Gorkha Durbar.

On the eighth and ninth day, Mahaashtami and Mahanawami will be observed when people visit various temples dedicated to various forms of goddess Durga. Likewise, Vijaya Dashami, the main day of Dashain, will be celebrated on October 5.

A version of this article appears in the print on October 2, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.