Dashain (Vijaya Dashami)
दशैं
Also known as: Vijaya Dashami, Bada Dashain, Navaratri
Nepal's longest and most auspicious festival spanning 15 days, celebrating the victory of goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasur.
Location
Nationwide
Duration
15 days
Month (BS)
Ashwin
Month (AD)
October
Highlights
Tika ceremony on Vijaya Dashami — elders bless family members. Kite flying across the Kathmandu Valley. Village bamboo swings (ping). Phulpati procession from Gorkha to Kathmandu.
Tips for Visitors
Most businesses and restaurants close during Dashain — plan accordingly. Transportation is extremely scarce as millions travel. Book flights and buses well in advance. If invited to a Nepali home for tika, it's a great honor — accept gracefully.
Dashain is Nepal's biggest festival — a 15-day celebration that brings the entire nation to a standstill. Offices close, schools break, and millions travel to their ancestral homes for family reunions. It celebrates the victory of goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasur, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.
The festival follows a progression: Ghatasthapana (day 1) when barley seeds are planted in sacred soil; Phulpati (day 7) when a sacred bouquet is carried from Gorkha to Kathmandu; Maha Ashtami and Kala Ratri (days 8-9) with animal sacrifices and all-night vigils at temples; Vijaya Dashami (day 10) the main day when elders place tika and jamara (barley sprouts) on the foreheads of younger family members, blessing them with the words 'Vijaya bhava' (be victorious).
Kite flying fills the skies, bamboo swings (ping) are erected in villages, new clothes are worn, and meat-heavy feasts unite families. For many Nepalis working abroad or in cities, Dashain is the only time they return home.