Kathmandu, Oct. 16: The Navaratri Parba or the nine-night festival of Bada Dashain, the great festival of the Hindus, has started. 

On the first day of the Bada Dashain festival, known as ‘Ghatasthapana’, on Sunday, households across the country marked the day by sowing seeds of barley, paddy and maize to grow the Jamara (wheatgrass). 

Special ceremonies were held in the Dashain Ghar at the historical Hanumandhoka and Dashain Ghars of the Gorkha Palace and Gorakhnath Baba cave of Gorkha where 11 Manas of barley seeds each were planted respectively at the astrologically-determined auspicious time of 11:29 am.  

Similarly, one Mana of barley seeds each was planted at the upper fort (Kot) and the lower fort of the Gorkha Palace. Over a period of 10 days, these seeds will sprout into the Jamara. 

Dashain officially begins in Nepal only after barley seeds are sown in the Dashain Ghar of the Gorkha Palace, the ancestral home of the Shah kings who founded modern Nepal and ruled until 2008.

The religiously important seed was planted following the Vedic tradition at the Dashain Ghar of Hanumandhoka Palace. It was also planted in the Dashain Ghars of Patan and Bhaktapur palace complexes and several goddess temples of the Kathmandu Valley.  

The barely seeds were also planted in other religious places like Manakamana Temple, Shreenathmandali and Liglig Kot of Gorkha district.  

In addition to sowing Jamara, the Ghatasthapana was marked by Hindus all over Nepal by setting up the sacred Kalash (water-filled jar) and worshipping Goddess Shailiputri. 

The Chhinnamasta, Kankalini Bhagwati and Rajdevi temples of Saptari saw a huge crowd of devotees to worship Goddess Durga and get Her blessings to mark the beginning of Navaratri. 

Kalash Yatra was also performed in more than 65 places of Sarlahi district.

From today, the households, which planted the barely seeds, will worship the diyo (oil-fed lamp), the kalash and Lord Ganesh with Vedic rituals for nine days. 

There is also a tradition of sacrificing animals while initiating the germination of the “Jamara”. 

During the nine days 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 mornings.