Dashain festival brings buyers to Kathmandu for sacred shoots
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In Kathmandu, Nepal, people gathered in the Kasthamandap area on Wednesday to buy jamara, bundles of sacred shoots used in the Dashain festival.
Many Hindus grow the jamara at home starting with Ghatasthapana, the first day of Dashain. However, people who cannot grow their own purchase the shoots on Vijaya Dashami to receive as a blessing. Bundles of jamara sold for between 100 and 150 Nepalese rupees.
The Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Bikas Samiti, a committee determining auspicious times, specified that the best time to apply the tika blessing was 10:26am Wednesday, with the person giving the blessing facing east and the receiver facing west. The jamara and red tika exchanged during Vijaya Dashami represent blessings for strength, good fortune, and prosperity, commemorating Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura and Lord Ram’s victory over Ravana. Families share the goddess’s offerings and exchange blessings on this day.
