That silver lining

Kathmandu:

Scrumptious food, fun filled cards sessions, joyful family get-togethers and loads of shopping

— these are some of the things people mostly associate with the festival of Dashain.

But the main tradition of observing Dashain is by receiving tika and jamara along with blessings from elders. From the tenth day, everyone is seen with a red tika on their forehead and green/yellow jamara on their head as they visit their elder relatives for blessings. And every household has its own special tika dani especially made of silver, which is meant for this pious occasion. The tika dani is taken out for this occasion and the woman of the family takes pride in having a beautiful and exquisite one. For them this is also a way of adding a precious piece of possession to their collection.

These simple silver items have also gone through transformation as can be seen in the huge

array of remodelled versions in the market. The pieces available in the market range from 200-900 grams, while the ones weighing 300-400 grams are most popular.

For puja ghar

When you are already in a full on shopping mood, how about taking out some time and budget for the most auspicious part of your house — puja ghar. Get a complete new set of puja saman this year. You have choices in terms of size as well as designs, so just look out for the one that fits your choice and take a new set home. Newly married couples can also make a new Dashain set with a tray, karuwa and tika dani to add that special touch to your first Dashain together.

Exquisite pieces

A tika dani is made of one cylindrical vessel in the middle for the jamarra surrounded by three cup-like structures for tika. The new tika danis available have transformed this simple structure into rather exquisite pieces with a galore of designs comprising different shapes and styles. And the variety of intricate motifs make each piece more attractive than the other. Those who are looking for a piece that will stand out can opt for the ones with fish — two fishes holding a bowl, or the one with a small covering structure in the form of shesh naag could be the best option. One can also find stylish sukunda.

Precious simplicity

If simplicity is your style, then you can opt for silver plates instead of tika dani. From plain to those with carved designs, there are many choices. These plates also come in many shapes like circle or oval with designed as well as plain edges. You can also find a simple tika dani without any patterns