People across Nepal are celebrating Bijaya Dashami, the main day of Bada Dashain, by receiving red tika and jamara from their elders as prasad of Nawa Durga. The tika ceremony began at 10:26 am, the auspicious time set by the Nepal Calendar Determination Development Committee. Committee chairperson Prof. Purushottam Bhattarai said the entire day after the ritual immersion of the Goddess is auspicious for receiving tika and blessings from elders.
Tika ceremony begins at the designated time
The committee’s announcement set 10:26 am as the preferred time for the central Dashain ritual. Families began receiving tika and jamara at that hour, marking the start of the day’s principal exchange of blessings. The observance takes place across Nepal, with elders giving the red tika and jamara to younger family members as prasad of Nawa Durga.
The announced time provided a shared reference for households observing the festival. While the ritual began at 10:26 am, Bhattarai clarified that the auspicious period was not limited to that moment. According to the committee chairperson, the whole day following the ritual immersion of the Goddess is suitable for receiving tika and blessings from elders.
Elders’ blessings at the heart of Bijaya Dashami
Receiving tika and jamara from elders is the defining practice described for Bijaya Dashami, bringing family members together for the exchange of blessings. The red tika and jamara are received as prasad of Nawa Durga, connecting the household ceremony with the Goddess and the religious observance of the day.
The practice also gives elders a central role in the celebration. Their blessings accompany the tika and jamara, making the occasion both a religious ritual and a family gathering. Across the country, people are observing the day through this customary exchange, with the committee’s guidance establishing when the ceremony could begin and clarifying that the auspicious period continued beyond the designated time.
A full day for receiving tika
The committee’s timing announcement distinguished between the stated auspicious moment and the broader period considered suitable for the ritual. Although 10:26 am was set as the auspicious time and the ceremony began then, Bhattarai said people could receive tika and blessings throughout the day after the Goddess’s ritual immersion.
That clarification means the observance is not confined to a single minute. The designated time marks the start of the ceremony, while the committee chairperson’s statement recognizes the rest of the day as auspicious for the same purpose. People celebrating Bijaya Dashami can therefore continue visiting elders and receiving the red tika, jamara and blessings as part of the main day of Bada Dashain.
