Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal Inspector General Narayan Datt Poudel on Friday offered Vijaya Dashami tika, jamara and prasad to serving and former personnel of the force, along with their family members, as part of the organisation's celebration of Bada Dashain 2083. The programme was held on Kartik 6 at Sharad Bhawan in Swayambhu, Kathmandu, where the force's senior-most officer led the traditional Dashain observance on behalf of the institution. The details of the event were reported by Ratopati and News of Nepal.
A Dashain Celebration at Sharad Bhawan
The Vijaya Dashami gathering at Sharad Bhawan brought together members of the Armed Police Force community under one roof for the most important day of Nepal's greatest festival. Serving personnel currently on duty, retired officers and staff who have completed their service, and the families of both groups were all part of the celebrations, reflecting the wide reach of the event within the force.
As the chief of the organisation, Inspector General Poudel personally applied the auspicious tika to those present, offered the yellow jamara, and distributed prasad. The gesture placed the head of the force at the centre of the ceremony, in keeping with the tradition of elders and senior figures blessing juniors on the day of Vijaya Dashami.
Key Highlights of the Programme
- The event was organised on the occasion of Bada Dashain 2083, marking Vijaya Dashami.
- Inspector General Narayan Datt Poudel offered tika, jamara and prasad in his capacity as the organisation chief of Armed Police Force, Nepal.
- Beneficiaries of the ceremony included serving personnel, former personnel and their respective families.
- The venue for the celebration was Sharad Bhawan in Swayambhu, Kathmandu.
- The programme took place on Friday, Kartik 6, the day of Vijaya Dashami.
Celebrations of this nature hold particular meaning for a uniformed service, where personnel often spend festivals away from their own homes and relatives. By hosting the tika ceremony within the force's own premises, the organisation allowed its members to observe the ritual in the company of colleagues, creating an atmosphere that closely mirrors the family gatherings associated with the festival.
The Traditions of Vijaya Dashami
Vijaya Dashami is the most significant day of Bada Dashain, the longest and most widely celebrated festival in Nepal. The observance is rooted in the triumph of good over evil, and the tenth day is regarded as especially auspicious for receiving blessings from elders. Across the country, younger family members travel to the homes of parents, grandparents and senior relatives to receive tika and jamara, making the day one of reunion as much as of ritual.
The tika traditionally consists of rice mixed with red vermilion and yogurt, applied to the forehead as a mark of blessing. The jamara, the bright yellow-green shoots of barley, is sown on the first day of the festival, Ghatasthapana, and nurtured in darkness until it is ready to be worn on Dashami. Together with prasad, these items are presented alongside blessings for long life, good health, courage and prosperity.
The practice of offering tika typically continues for several days after Dashami, with families visiting one another until the festival concludes on the day of Kojagrat Purnima. For institutions such as the police, army and other services, Dashain tika ceremonies led by senior officials have become a familiar part of the festival calendar, extending the household tradition to the workplace.
Honouring the Extended APF Family
A notable aspect of Friday's programme was the inclusion of former Armed Police Force personnel alongside those currently serving. By inviting retired members and their families to receive tika from the Inspector General himself, the organisation signalled that the bond with those who have completed their service endures beyond their years in uniform.
Such gatherings serve to reinforce morale within the force. Festivals are periods when the absence of family is felt most keenly by those on duty, and a shared celebration at Sharad Bhawan offers personnel a sense of belonging and continuity. For retired staff, the opportunity to return to the force's premises for tika represents recognition of their contribution to the institution.
The presence of family members alongside the personnel further underlined the spirit of the occasion. Dashain is fundamentally a festival centred on the home and the family, and events of this kind aim to ensure that the loved ones of those serving in the force are also drawn into the celebration rather than left on its margins.
Dashain in the Capital
The choice of Swayambhu, one of the most prominent localities in Kathmandu, placed the celebration at the heart of the capital during the festival period. Kathmandu takes on a distinctive character at Dashain, as large numbers of residents travel to their home districts to celebrate with extended families, even as official and institutional celebrations continue in the city.
For the Armed Police Force, whose members remain deployed across the country through the holiday period to maintain security and public order, the tika ceremony at Sharad Bhawan offered a moment of collective festivity before personnel return to their responsibilities. With Inspector General Poudel leading the observance, the event combined the rituals of Vijaya Dashami with a reaffirmation of the organisation's ties to its members, both past and present, and their families.
