Maha Nawami Festival Today

The Maha Nawami festival is being observed across the country today by worshipping goddess Durga Bhawani. 

As per the lunar calendar, Maha Nawami falls on the ninth day of the waxing moon in the Nepali month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) and is celebrated as part of the 10-day Dashain festival.

On this day, special worship is performed for Goddess Durga Bhawani, and 'jamara' (sacred barley shoots) are offered to the goddess.

The Durga Saptasati and Devi Strota scriptures are also recited at home and in temples on this day.     

As per the Markandeya Purana, the Maha Nawami day commemorates the slaying of the demon Raktabij by Goddess Chamunda. This is why special worship and sacrifices are offered on this day.

Devotees sacrifice he-goats, ducks, roosters, and buffaloes to the goddess. Those who do not have the tradition of sacrificing animals or birds, offer fruits and vegetables to the goddess.   

Security forces also perform 'kot puja'—a worship of armories—on this occasion.

Another special tradition on Maha Nawami is the opening of the Taleju Bhawani Temple at Hanumandhoka, which is accessible to devotees only on this day each year.

Additionally, the Newar community honors Bhimsen, a Hindu deity, by making animal sacrifices as part of their Maha Nawami celebrations.

Besides visiting their ancestral homes on the occasion of Dashain, people also play bamboo swings and fly kites during this festival. Flying kites is a symbolic message to Lord Indra, the god of rain, to stop rainfall as it is the time for harvesting crop. -- (With inputs form RSS)