Top 10 Festive Days That Brings Us to Dashain

(Naag Panchami/ Janai Purnima/ Shrawan Sombar/ Krishna Asthami/ Kushe Aushi/ Teej/ Rishi Panchami/ Bishwakarma Puja/Indra Jatra/!6 Shradhha/ Gai Jatra)

We are almost colliding with the festive days that make all the population of Nepal, from children to the aged, quiver with joy and happiness.

The Dashain Celebration is almost here. Yes, the biggest festival that we Nepali celebrate is just around the bend.

Naag Panchami

Nag Panchami is the beginning of the rollercoaster of festivals. The beginning of a hint of sight towards Dashain. This year, on Shrawan 29, Nag Panchami was celebrated with the worship of the God of the Reptiles, the Nag Lord, from whence the climate shifts towards winter from the monsoon.

Shrawan Sombar

Shrawan is the important month of worship of Lord Shiva. It is believed that it is the favorite one of Lord Shiva. And according to Hindu religious beliefs, Monday is the day of Shiva. So, Sharawan Sombar Vrat is observed to worship lord Shiva throughout the month. It is a highlight of all Sombar Vrat that the devotees observe for Lord Shiva. This year, beginning from Shrawn 4th, Monday, and ending on Shrawan 32nd, the Shrawan Sombar was observed.

Janai Purnima/ Rakshabandhan

The next important festivities for the Hindus is the day of Raksha Bandhan and Janai Purnima which has importance related to both the names. Raksha Bandhan is observed by the brothers and sisters wishing for all the blessings and good luck for the siblings. And Janai is a sacred thread that saves the believer from any evils. On the 6th of Bhadra this year, this festival was observed pushing us nearer to Dashain.

Gai Jatra

Just the next day after Raksha Bandhan, Gai Jatra, the festival mostly observed by the Hindu community of Newari people, that has a mark on all Nepalese as the day of offering worship to their ancestors was observed. This year, it was celebrated with a grand celebratory reception on the 7th of Bhadra.

Krishna Asthami

Janmasthami, better known as Krishna Asthami in the Nepali community, is the day of birth of Lord Krishna, the Avatar of Lord Vishnu. To rejoice in the birth of the Lord, this day has a very special engraved importance for all Hindu people. This year, on the 14th of Bhadra, the Birthday celebration of Lord Krishna was celebrated.

Kushe Aushi

Kushe Aushi, the day for offering complete devotion and prayer to the deceased ancestors, and also observed as Father’s day, carries a lot of important aspects along with its name. The purest grass, without which no ceremony commences, is also welcomed into the home. This year, on the 22nd of Bhadra, Kushe Aushi was celebrated together with Father’s Day as ‘Buwa ko Mukh herne din’.

Haritalika Teej

Teej, the festival of red, the day when all the married women gowned in red as an angel and praying to Lord Shiva for their husband’s health and long life has been observed since the ages of gods. Goddess Parvati started the trend of Fasting, which brought her the husband of her choice. So, Young ladies are believed to fast for that reason. But it’s a free generation, not everything is linked for the sake of gaining a husband.

This year, Bhadra 24th was celebrated as Haritalika Teej.

Rishi Panchami

Following the Haritalika Teej, Rishi Panchami is always observed almost consecutively after Teej. The Fast of Rishi Panchami is believed to cleanse the Bad Karma of the said human. Let’s not say that people have bad karma with pointing fingers and that they need to be cleansed, that’s the belief that came to be from the ancient scriptures and followed to fruition.

This year, the 26th of Bhadra was observed as Rishi Panchami, almost closing us into the awaited Festival of Dashain.

Bishwakarma Puja

The First Day of Ashwin is usually observed as the Day of worshipping the Engineer among the gods, Lord Bishwakarma Baba. Bishwakarma Puja is a dedicated day in which we worship Bishwakarma for the blessings of safety in vehicles and machinery items that have huge funds and investments and need insurance. And it is a belief that on this day if you pray to Lord Bishwakarma, he will look after your assets.

Indra Jatra

Indra Jatra, a worshipping pact for the King of Heavens, Lord Indra is a day of Jatra that is primarily observed by the Newari people to send their respects and gratitude to Lord Indra. The day holds huge importance to the season and its change towards autumn and the festival of Dashain almost at the doorway.

This year, the 3rd of Ashoj was celebrated as the beginning of Indra Jatra.

16 Shradhha

Shorawha Shraddha is a sixteen-day long period of Tithis, each in respect to each day under which they fall. And this is the time just before Dashain, for which you have to pay respects and worship your Pitri Devatas or the ancestors before you get into Dashain. So these 16 days consist of 16 Tithis and regarding the death day of the family’s Pitri, a Shraddha karma with Pinda offering is done.

This year, from Ashoj 4th of Purnima, the preparatory day of 16 Shradha begins and it officially initiates with the First Pratipada tithi Shradhha from 5th of Ashoj, ending on the 20th of the month with Aushi Shraddha.

And then, what next?

Just the next day, we enter into the Festive Season of Dashain, barging in with a loud yell of joy and excitement. Right into the First initial day of Dashain Navaratri, Ghatasthapana.

Ghatasthapana

With all these exciting days of festivities, we finally enter into the first day of Dashain. Ghatasthapana, is the sthanapa, or the initiation of building the requirements for Dashina with Jamara and Devi Durga Puja. Druga, the goddess who is worshipped on Dashain, is worshipped from this day and Chandi’s path is done for her 9 forms.

We are officially celebrating Dashiain Now, just a few more days and the main day commences to be the biggest festival celebrated by the Hindus in Nepal.

Before You End This Article

These festivals are some of the highlights of the year that every Nepali without any biasedness in religion or community, almost all believe, in one way or other. These festivals are the stepping days of celebration that take us to the biggest festival for Nepali people the Dashain and Tihar. It’s all about good wishes and love for everyone.

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