Sowing seeds of prosperity

KATHMANDU: The first day of Dashian known as Ghatasthapana falls on September 30 this year. The celebration of the fifteen-day long festival of Dashian begins this day by observing the ritual of Ghatasthapana. On this day every household sows seeds of jamara in their prayer room. A mixture of grains of rice, maize and barley is sown in an earthen pot with mixed sand brought from the holy rivers. A holy vessel filled with water, which symbolises goddess Durga in, also kept in the same room. The ritual of Ghatasthapana in performed at an auspicious time allocated by the astrologers. While sowing jamara seeds the priest chants a special prayer worshipping goddess Durga.

The pot is kept away from sunlight for the remaining nine days of Dashain and puja is performed every day. On the tenth day jamara is collected from the pot and is given with tika as a blessing from god.