Ghatasthapana – the begining of the greatest Hindu festival

Ghatasthapana is the first day of the 15-day Dasain festival, and is the first day of the lunar bright fortnight (Aswin sukla pachaya) of Aswin (September/October). On this day, all Hindu Nepalese households sow seeds of buckwheat, called Jamara, in the prayer room for germinating seedlings to offer the almighty Goddess Durga Bhavani on the tenth day of Dasain.

For the nine nights starting from the night of Ghatasthapana, devotees visit nine-mother goddesses one each every night. All nine-mother goddesses are the manifestations of Durga Bhavani.

On the tenth day, every household harvests the seedlings, and offers the seedlings to the Durga Bhavani, and then takes the seedlings from the goddess, and distributes the seedlings to the family members, relatives, and friends as the blessings (Tika and Jamara) from the goddess.

Nepalis believe that the offering of the buckwheat seedlings to the goddess is one of the greatest offerings that please the goddess, and earns merits. So, Ghatasthapana is one of the important events of the Dasain festival.