This year, the Maha Astami and Maha Nawami celebrations of Bada Dashain – the biggest festival of Hindus residing in Nepal-- were observed on the same day on Friday, as the eighth and ninth days of the festival coincide according to the lunar calendar.
Hindus across the country celebrated Maha Astami by worshipping Goddess Durga Bhawani, with special offerings to goddesses Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, and Maha Saraswati. This day holds significance as it is believed that Goddess Durga attained immense power.
Devotees perform religious rituals in Dasain Ghars, armories, and various goddess shrines. Many offer animal sacrifices, including goats and ducks, while those who do not practice animal sacrifice offer fruits and vegetables instead.
Devotees thronged temples from early morning to offer their prayers and sacrifices. Special Durgapuja worship and ceremonies were held at Dasain Ghars, and people also worship their weapons, vehicles, and machinery on this auspicious day. In Hanumandhoka's Dashain Ghar, a special Kalaratri worship was held at midnight.
Alongside Maha Astami, the Maha Nawami festival was being observed with devotion. According to the lunar calendar, Mahanawami falls on the ninth day of the waxing moon in the Nepali month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) and is celebrated as part of the 10-day Dashain festival. On this day, special worship is performed for Goddess Durga Bhawani, and 'jamara' (sacred barley shoots) are offered to the goddess. As with Maha Astami, devotees offer sacrifices of he-goats, ducks, roosters, and buffaloes, or fruits and vegetables if animal sacrifice is not observed.
As per the Markandeya Purana, the Maha Nawami day commemorates the slaying of the demon Raktabij by Goddess Chamunda. This is why special worship and sacrifices are offered on this day. Security forces also perform 'kot puja'—a worship of armories—on this occasion.
Another special tradition on Maha Nawami is the opening of the Taleju Bhawani Temple at Hanumandhoka, which is accessible to devotees only on this day each year. Additionally, the Newar community honors Bhimsen, a Hindu deity, by making animal sacrifices as part of their Maha Nawami celebrations.
Besides visiting their ancestral homes on the occasion of Dashain, people also play bamboo swings and fly kites during this festival. Flying kites is a symbolic message to Lord Indra, the god of rain, to stop rainfall as it is the time for harvesting crop. -- (With inputs form RSS)
