Tika-giving continues into second day, Asan keeps its Ekadashi tika tradition

The giving and receiving of tika and jamara from elders continued on Thursday, the day of Ekadashi, the second day after the main Bada Dashain tika. Nepalis at home and abroad had celebrated tika with festivity on Wednesday, the day of Vijaya Dashami.

People who could not receive tika on Wednesday are visiting relatives and elders today. Some who received tika at home yesterday are now traveling outside Kathmandu to visit relatives, while others are arriving in the capital from outside. Both long- and short-distance vehicles are running, albeit thinly, adding some movement to Kathmandu's streets.

According to the Nepal Panchang Nirnayak Committee, tika and jamara, as a blessing from the Navadurga Bhawani, may be worn until Kojagrat Purnima. In some places, family tradition dictates tika only on Dashami, while in most areas the practice continues through Purnima. Ashwin Shukla Ekadashi is also known as Papankusha Ekadashi, and Vaishnav tradition holds that this day is dedicated to worship of Lord Vishnu in his Padmanabha form.

In Kathmandu's Asan area, the native Tuladhar, Shakya and Bajracharya communities traditionally apply tika not on Dashami but on Ekadashi. Since the Annapurna Jatra falls on Ekadashi, they observe this day as 'Asan Chalan.' The tika is usually applied after the Khadga Jatra procession in Asan. Bada Dashain concludes with Mahalaxmi Puja on the night of Kojagrat Purnima.