Bada Dashain has begun across Nepal, with households marking the opening of the festival through Ghatasthapana, planting jamara and worshipping Durga Bhawani. The celebrations bring together religious observance, family traditions and travel, as people make their way home to celebrate with loved ones. Alongside the familiar rituals, concerns have also been raised about disasters during the festival period, when many people are on the move.
Rituals and traditions at the heart of Dashain
Ghatasthapana marks the start of the festival’s household observances, with families planting jamara as part of their worship. Devotion to Durga Bhawani is central to the celebrations described across Nepal, while visits to Shakti Peeths form another part of the season’s religious practice. These observances connect household worship with visits to places of devotion, bringing both family and community traditions into the festival.
Dashain’s customs also include receiving tika and blessings from elders. The practice reflects the importance of family bonds and respect across generations, as people gather to observe the festival together. The celebrations are not limited to one ritual or one location: households mark the occasion at home, while worshippers also visit Shakti Peeths. Together, these traditions give the festival a broad place in Nepali life.
The festival is described as a symbol of victory, faith and tradition. Its opening therefore carries meaning beyond the start of a period of worship. The customs provide a way for families to continue practices passed through generations and to come together around shared beliefs. For many people, travelling home is part of that experience, allowing them to celebrate with family rather than observe the occasion apart.
Travel and disaster concerns during the festival
The movement of people to their homes for Dashain has brought attention to the risks that can accompany travel during the festival period. Concerns over disasters have been raised as people set out to join their families. The warning is an important counterpoint to the celebrations: the season is a time of reunion and religious observance, but it also involves people travelling across the country.
A Nagarik editorial on fears of disaster during the festival reflects those concerns. The information available does not identify particular incidents or specify which hazards are feared. The concern, as presented, is broader: disasters during the festive period could affect people as they travel and gather. Keeping that issue in view does not diminish the meaning of Dashain, but it recognises that the season’s large-scale movement of people deserves attention alongside its celebrations.
A cultural occasion with economic significance
Dashain is also described as an economic force for Nepali society. That description places the festival alongside its religious and cultural significance, recognising its importance beyond household worship and family gatherings. The available information does not detail particular industries, spending patterns or the scale of its economic effects, but it identifies the festival as having a wider role in society.
This combination of faith, tradition, family reunion and economic importance helps explain why Dashain holds such a prominent place in Nepal. Its rituals are observed in homes and at Shakti Peeths, while people travel to be with family and take part in the customs of the season. The festival’s reach across different parts of social life makes its beginning significant for more than one reason.
As Bada Dashain gets underway, households are turning to Ghatasthapana, jamara planting and worship, with tika and elders’ blessings among the traditions associated with the celebrations. At the same time, disaster concerns remain part of the discussion around a period when many people travel home. The festival opens with its familiar expressions of devotion and togetherness, while the attention drawn to travel and disaster risks underscores the need to keep those concerns in view throughout the season.
