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Festival- Ghatasthapana ( Starting day of Dasain)
Date: 2012-10-162012-10-16The Ghatasthapana, is performed on the first day of Navaratri and Dasain. Ghatsthapana involves invoking Goddess Shakti in Kalash or Pot and symbolically on the growing shoots of grains. It is performed mainly in Nepal during Dashain, North India during Navratri and in some parts of Bengal and eastern parts of India during Durga Puja. The Ghatasthapana starts on the first day of Navratri – Pratipada day and is continued for the next nine days. The puja ends on the 10th day morning of Vijaya Dasami which is the main day of Dasain. This is the one of the biggest and important festival for the Nepalese to gather all family together and observed the festival once a year all together with family. On way of Christmas in Europe, the Dashain is taken on similar way in Nepal. Of the nine days of Navaratra, the first day of Ghatasthapana, the seventh day of Phulpati, the eight day Maha Astami and the ninth day Maha Nawami are of special significance in the 10 day Nepali Hindu festivals of Dashain. In addition to the everyday regular rituals, special rituals are performed on these days. The worshippers do navapatrika puja, also known more popularly as phulpati, on the seventh day to ask the goddess for forgiveness for the sins committed by the family members and put an end to their difficulties and misfortunes and to bless the family with peace and well-being. Preparation for the Phulpati puja begins from the sixth day of the Navaratra. On this day, a pair of bel (wood apple) hanging from the bel tree itself is consecrated. If a tree is not available, then pair of bel is kept in the southern corner of one's household and worshiped. Bel fruit represdents goddess Shree or prosperity, one of the many manifestations of goddess Laxmi. On the seventh day or Phulpati, the above- mentioned pair of bel along with eight other plants is taken inside the Dashain Ghar or the allocated room where the Navaratra Puja is solemnized. The nine plants- banana, dadim, dhanko bala, haledo, manabriksha, kachuki, belpatra, ashok, and jayanti are collective called navapatrika. Each of the plants represents a specific manifestation of Goddess Shakti. Banana plant represents Goddess Brahmande, who bestows peace. Pomegranate (dadim) represents Goddess Rakta Dantika who helps and blesses the worshipper. In rich stalk (dhanko bala) lives Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. Goddess Durga is supposed to grace the turmeric plant (haledo) and put and end to bighna-s or obstacles. Ginger plant (aduwa) represents Goddess Kalika who blesses the mortals. In bel plant lives shiva, and is the favourite fruit of Lords Bishnu and Shiva. Similarly, in the ashok plant resides Goddess shokaha Jayanti represents Goddess Kartikeya whi is revered by all Gods. Some people take the navapatrika or nine plants inside the Dashain Ghar in the morning, some during the midday and some in the evening, all depending on their individual family traditions. Agter thi, navapatrika Puja is carried out . On this day, Saraswoti, the goddess of learning and knowledge is also worshiped. Besides this, people following different occupations, bring the tools of their trades inside the Dashain Ghar and worship them and take them out on the 10th day only. Students or people associated with learning and teaching do uja of their books. business people venerate their scales or thier ledgets, similarly, tailors venerate their sewing machines and blacksmiths their hamers and anvils. In the villages, even today, tailors, blacksmiths and shoemakers don't work for three days, the seventh, eight, and ninth, of Navaratra.
