Final day of Dashain: Kojagrat Purnima marks the conclusion of tika & jamara offerings

KATHMANDU: Today marks the final day of applying Tika and Jamara, the sacred offerings of Navadurga, for this year’s Bada Dashain, as both Ashwin Shukla Chaturdashi and Purnima fall on the same day.

According to the Nepal Panchang (calendar) Determination Development Committee, Kojagrat Purnima is also observed today, as Chaturdashi falls during sunrise and Purnima at midnight.

However, the Purnima fasting, which takes place during the evening, will be observed on Thursday, Oct 17.

Professor Dr. Devmani Bhattarai, a member of the committee and the Head of the Department of Religious Studies at Valmiki Vidyapeeth, shared this information. Hence, today is the last day for receiving blessings from elders in the form of Navadurga’s offerings of Tika and Jamara.

The tradition of offering Tika and Jamara begins on Vijayadashami and continues until the full moon day (Purnima) of Ashwin Shukla.

Relatives who live far from one another visit homes to receive blessings during this time. For many, this is not just an opportunity to receive the sacred offerings but also to reconnect with family and friends.

Since Maha Ashtami and Mahanavami, which are quieter days in the capital, the city has been bustling with activity from Vijayadashami onwards.

Citizens, adorned with red Tika and Jamara on their foreheads, are seen going to elders to receive blessings.

Public holidays for Bada Dashain ended on Monday, and government offices reopened on Tuesday. However, according to traditional customs, the practice of applying Tika and receiving blessings continues until the Akhil Bali (complete offerings) is fulfilled during Kojagrat Purnima.

The Nepal Panchang Committee’s official calendar notes that the full completion of the Bali offerings, Akhil Bali, and the Kojagrat Purnima fall on today, with Purnima fasting to be observed on Thursday.

On the night of Kojagrat Purnima, devotees stay awake and worship Goddess Mahalaxmi, praying for wealth and prosperity.

The Dashain festival, celebrated grandly by Nepalese, concludes with the worship of Mahalaxmi and the night vigil.

The Kojagrat Purnima festival, observed on the full moon of Ashwin Shukla, honors Mahalaxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After staying awake and praying throughout the night, the 15-day-long Dashain festival comes to an end today.

The Nepal Panchang Determination Development Committee has confirmed that all the rituals, including the complete Bali offerings, have been concluded.

With this, the tradition of receiving blessings from elders with Navadurga’s sacred offerings of Tika and Jamara, which began on Vijayadashami, also comes to an end. The Jamara offerings will be taken to nearby rivers, ponds, or other holy water sources for immersion today.

The Dashain festival, which begins from the first day of Ashwin Shukla, is celebrated by Nepalese according to their means and customs. It is believed that on this night, Goddess Mahalaxmi, who is wandering the earth, will enter the homes of those who have stayed awake worshipping her, bestowing wealth and prosperity upon them.

This is the religious belief behind the celebration of this festival, as explained by Professor Shrikrishna Adhikari, Chairperson of the Panchang Committee.

Today, as the Durga Paksha period comes to an end, Mahalaxmi, one of the three forms of Goddess Durga, is worshipped. While Navaratri officially concludes on Vijayadashami, the Durga Paksha period ends on Ashwin Shukla Purnima.

Fifteen days before Lakshmi Puja, Mahalaxmi is worshipped, giving special significance to this festival.

This full moon is also called Kaumudi, and there is a tradition of playing dice games on this night. Alongside Mahalaxmi, Indra, the deity who rides an elephant, is also worshipped today.