Ghatasthapana, Navaratri commences

दशैं आयो
 खाउँला पिउँला
 कहाँबाट ल्याउँला, चोरी ल्याउँला
 धत्त पापी म त छुट्टै बसौंला भन्दै औंला भाँच्दै बिताएको एक वर्षको प्रतिक्षा आज समाप्त भएको छ । दशैं घरघरमा आएको छ ।

The oldest default vernacular on Dashain, super popular among children of all generations. This is a conversation between the fingers, one says Dashain has finally arrived, next says now we shall eat, drink and be merry, next one says, from where shall you bring money for the celebration, next one promptly replies that probably he will steal money from somewhere and the final or the thumb says you, damn sinner, let me be a bit far from you and this is why thumb is a bit far from the rest fingers.

This Dashain is a little different, because of the Covid terror, the last Dashain has been spent in minimal human activity, but this Dashain can be considered to be a little loose and normal.

Whatever the anecdote is, Dashain has finally arrived at every doorstep. This year's Dashain can be very different and tragic in terms of blessing and gathering, Corona's infection risk and the deep pit of the economy may result in less proportionate Dashain to everyone's door this year, but, certainly, the joy and mood of Dashain will not diminish. Let's redefine the Dashain where we are, shall we?

Ghatasthapana is the auspicious day when we plant "Jamara" at our house, a sacred place is prepared inside the house where soils are kept and seeds of barley, maize, paddy, and other crops are sowed. For the next nine days that place is worshiped and finally on the tenth day, the germinations from those seeds are used in worship and given to Youngers by elders as a sign of blessings and love.

Although jamara is the germination of barley, the jamara of Dashain includes barley, paddy, and maize. This culture associated with soil, water, air, flowers, and sprouts makes it clear that we are very close to plants and nature.

Navratri started from today, now every morning there is a crowd of devotees in all the new Durga Bhagwati Shakti Peeths of the country. But this year it's different, there shall be no crowds and gatherings, everything happens inside the house.

The practice of germinating Dashain Jamara varies from place to place. In some places, Jamara is deposited in a Guthi or Shaktipith and a temple by setting up a Dashainghar collectively or individually in the worship room of one's own house or some other clean place of the house.

By keeping this barley germination on the head, every Nepali shall get the power of Durga Bhawani with harmony, virtue, and prosperity. In the same way, nature may have given us information about our roots, that is, our culture, traditions, and human bases. No matter how big, tall, and thick the plants are, even if their branches try to touch the sky, their roots are in the soil. That is to say, no matter how much we change or progress and touch the sky, it shows the importance of not forgetting the foundation of our precious material culture and tradition.
 Happy Wishes

Suyog Dhakal