Kathmandu, Oct 7: Devotees have been flocking to religious shrines across the country since the beginning of the Bada Dashain festival today. As the risk of coronavirus is subsiding, devotees have been flocking to temples and shrines since morning.    

The crowd of people going to temples and shrines on the first day of the greatest festival of the Hindus has increased this year, also because the government has resumed the public holiday on the day of Ghatsthapana.

The day was not a public holiday for the past few years after the government decided to cut down the number of holidays.    

From the first day of Bada Dashain, the special worship of Nava Durga is performed in every house. According to the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee, the auspicious hour of Ghatasthapana is at 11:46 am today.    

On the day Nepali Hindus worship Diyo (an oil-fed lamp), Kalas (auspicious jar) and lord Ganesh in accordance with Vedic rituals and sow maize and barley seeds in a jar filled with soil and cow dung for germination of the auspicious Jamara (barley shoots).    

Germination of the auspicious "Jamara" is also initiated at Hanumandhoka Dashain Ghar in accordance with Vedic rituals, today.