People continue visiting relatives to receive tika, blessings on second day of Dashain

KATHMANDU, Oct 25: People continue to visit the homes of their senior relatives to receive the Dashain tika, jamara and blessing from them even on the second day of the Bada Dashain festival today. 

This trend continues until the day of Kojagrat Purnima, the fifth day from the day of Bijaya Dashami. This year the Kojagrat Purnima falls on October 28 as per the lunar calendar. People observed the Bijaya Dashami yesterday. On the occasion of Bijaya Dashami, people receive tika, jamara, Prasad and blessings from their parents and seniors in their family. 

Tike is a mixture of red vermillion powder, curd and rice grains that the family seniors put on the forehead of the junior members of the family. Jamara is the barley or maize shoots that are germinated on the day of Ghatasthapana of the 10-day Dashain festivities which are put behind the ears while Prasad are the fruits, sweets, dry fruits, cookies and other delicacies that are offered to the Goddess Nawa Durga. 

Tika symbolizes victory and a good omen, jamara is considered auspicious and prasad is taken as the sanctified edibles gifted by the goddess. The people eat the Prasad after receiving the tika and jamara along with blessings from the elders in the family.

People who could not make it yesterday on the day of Bada Dashain visit the homes of their senior relatives today until the Kojagrat Purnima.

The federal capital, which saw very little movement of people and activity for some days during the Dashain festival period as many people left for their ancestral homes in outside districts, will see somewhat increased movement of people from today onwards.