By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Sept. 29: The Hindu people across the nation will mark the arrival of Bada Dashain festival on Sunday, the first day of the festival, known as Ghatasthapana, by initiating the auspicious “jamara” at their houses.
The auspicious Jamara is initiated with the vedic rituals at Dashain Ghar at the historical Hanumandhoka. The Calendar Determination Committee (Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Committee) had earlier decided that the auspicious time for Ghatasthapana is at 10:35 am on Sunday morning.
The Navaratri Parba of Badadashain, the great festival of Nepalese officially, commences from today. The 'Ghatasthapana' falls on Ashwin Shukla Pratipada, the first day of the bright half of the lunar calendar in the month of Ashwin.
All Nepalese worship a sacred diyo (oil-fed lamp), kalash (water filled utensil) and Lord Ganesh with vedic rituals today. People collect fine sand and cow dunk and sow maize and barley seeds in jar filled with soil on this day of Ghatasthapana for germination of the auspicious Jamara. There is also a tradition of sacrificing animals while initiating the germination of the "Jamara". Devotees pray different faces of Durga Bhavani like Mahakali, Mahalaxmi and Mahasarswati, the goddess of power during the nine nights.
Navaratri, which literally means 'nine nights,' dedicates three days each to worshipping the divine in the forms of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. 'During the first three days, Durga is worshipped. She personifies that aspect of shakti which destroys our negative tendencies.
Accordingly, the last three days of Navaratri are dedicated to worshipping Saraswati, the embodiment of knowledge. She is depicted as wearing a pure-white sari, which symbolises the illumination of the Supreme Truth.
There is meaning of each day of Navaratri and reasons behind worshipping different nine goddesses-- Shailputri, Brhamcharni, Chandraghanta, Bhuwonyshwori, Jagamata, Bagyshwori, Kimari, Siddhidatri and Durga.
The tenth day, though, is the most important and is known as Bijayadashami, the 'tenth day of victory."

On the tenth day, the younger persons receive auspicious Tika and amara from the elder people with blessings for peace, progress and prosperity.
During the Navaratri, a large crowd of people visit Naxal Bhagawati, Shobha Bhagawati, Maitidevi, Guheswori, Bhadrakali, Kalikasthan, Sankata, Mahankalsthan, Naradevi, Bijayeswori, Indrayani, Dakshinkali, Chamunda, Bhramayani and other shrines of goddess Durga Bhavani in the early morning.