Ghatasthapana marks start of Dasain, jamara placed at Hanumandhoka's Dasainghar

Dasain began today with Ghatasthapana.

Jamara was placed in household worship rooms and Dasainghars at the auspicious time of 11:47 am, as fixed by the Nepal Panchang Nirnayak Vikas Samiti (Nepal Calendar Determination Development Committee).

According to the committee's chairperson, Associate Professor Dr Purushottam Bhattarai, the timing was fixed for the Abhijit muhurta at midday because Chitra constellation prevails throughout the day. After social media posts claiming Ghatasthapana should be performed on Monday caused confusion, the committee had called on people to perform Swastishanti and place jamara today.

This festival is also called Sharadiya Navaratri, and the nine different forms of Navadurga are worshipped over nine days.

At the Dasainghar inside Hanumandhoka Palace in Kathmandu, jamara was placed with due rituals and chanting of mantras. On the occasion, a Nepali Army team played mangal dhun on dhime and bhusya instruments and fired guns in celebration.

In households, lamps, kalash (ritual vessels) and Ganesh are installed to invoke Durga, the goddess of power. On the first day of Navaratri, Shailaputri is worshipped.

According to religious scholar Toyaraj Nepal, scriptures prescribe planting only barley for jamara, though maize and wheat are also commonly sown in many places.

At Bhaktapur's Brahmayani Ghat, devotees have been thronging since early morning to collect soil for jamara. There is a popular belief that jamara grown in the sandy soil there turns yellow and grows strong. This same jamara is worn along with tika as prasad on the day of Vijayadashami.