Photo: Janak Bhatta, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dashain is Nepal's longest and most widely celebrated festival. In 2083 BS it runs from Ghatasthapana on Asoj 25 (11 October 2026) to Kojagrat Purnima on Kartik 8 (25 October 2026), with the main tika day, Vijaya Dashami, on Kartik 4 (21 October 2026). It honours the goddess Durga and her victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Families gather, elders give tika and jamara to younger relatives, and households prepare feasts.
The festival falls in the bright fortnight (Shukla paksha) of the lunar month of Ashwin, usually in September or October. Because it follows the lunar calendar, the Gregorian dates change every year.
This guide lists each main day, explains jamara and tika, and gives the Durga story that the festival is based on.
When does Dashain fall each year?
Dashain falls in the Shukla paksha (waxing fortnight) of the lunar month of Ashwin, which comes in September or October. This lunar month does not match the solar BS month of Asoj (Ashwin). In 2083 the festival runs from Asoj 25 (11 October 2026) to Kartik 8 (25 October), with Vijaya Dashami on Kartik 4 (21 October). The dates follow the lunar tithi cycle, so they move every year. Check a current patro for the exact days.
The main celebration covers the first ten lunar days: Navaratri (nine nights), then Vijaya Dashami on the tenth. Dashain ends on the full-moon day, Kojagrat Purnima, about a fortnight after it starts. For why lunar festivals shift against the Gregorian year, see why the Nepali New Year falls in April.
How the dates are determined
Each day of Dashain is fixed by its tithi (lunar day), not by a Gregorian date. Ghatasthapana is on Pratipada, the first tithi of Ashwin Shukla. Vijaya Dashami is on Dashami, the tenth tithi. The Katigate festivals page marks each of these days.
What happens on Ghatasthapana, the first day of Dashain?
Ghatasthapana starts Dashain on the first tithi of Ashwin Shukla. The head of the household sets up a kalash (water vessel) and sows barley and maize seeds in a bed of sand and cow dung inside a dark prayer room. These seeds grow into jamara.
The kalash represents the goddess Durga. A priest invokes her at an auspicious time chosen from the panchang. For the next nine days, family members water the seeds twice a day and keep the room clean for worship. Meat and onions are kept out of the puja room.
The growing jamara
The shoots that grow from the seeds are called jamara. Because they are kept out of direct sunlight, they grow pale yellow and soft. On the tenth day, elders place the jamara on the heads of younger relatives along with the red tika.
What are Phulpati, Maha Ashtami, and Maha Navami?
These are the main ritual days of Navaratri. Phulpati is the seventh day, Maha Ashtami the eighth and Maha Navami the ninth. They are dedicated to the fierce forms of Durga, and worship increases each day until Vijaya Dashami.
Phulpati (the seventh day)
Phulpati means "sacred flowers and leaves". A bundle of plants, including banana stalks, jamara and sugarcane, is carried into the home. A procession from Gorkha still brings the royal Phulpati to Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu. Phulpati marks the start of the busiest part of the festival.
Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami
Maha Ashtami is dedicated to Kali, the fiercest form of Durga. It is one of the main days for animal sacrifice in temples and in homes that follow the custom. On Maha Navami the worship continues, and artisans and drivers do puja for their tools, machines and vehicles. This is separate from Vishwakarma Puja, which comes earlier on Kanya Sankranti, the first of Asoj.
Practice differs by region, community and family. Many households now offer fruit, coconut or pumpkin instead of an animal. Each family follows its own lineage tradition.
Why is Vijaya Dashami the most important day of Dashain?
Vijaya Dashami, the tenth day, is the main day of Dashain. Elders put a red tika of rice, yogurt and vermilion on the foreheads of younger family members, place jamara on their heads and bless them with prosperity and long life. The name means "victory on the tenth".
People travel long distances to receive tika from senior relatives, so this is the busiest travel period of the year in Nepal. Book bus and flight tickets early. Tika starts at an auspicious time set from the panchang and continues for five days, until Kojagrat Purnima. Younger members touch the elders' feet and receive dakshina, a small gift of money.
The tika
The tika combines red vermilion with the yellow jamara and stands for the blessing of Durga. Tika from the eldest living relative is considered the most important, so many families return to their ancestral home for Dashain.
How does Dashain end with Kojagrat Purnima?
Dashain ends on Kojagrat Purnima, the full-moon day about five days after Vijaya Dashami. People worship Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and stay awake through the night. The name comes from "Ko jagrat", meaning "who is awake", because Lakshmi is believed to bless those who are still awake.
About two weeks later comes Tihar, the five-day festival of lights, in which Lakshmi is worshipped again.
What is the Durga and Mahishasura story?
Dashain celebrates Durga's defeat of Mahishasura, a shape-shifting buffalo demon who could not be killed by any man or god. The gods combined their powers to create Durga. She fought the demon for nine nights and killed him on the tenth day, which is now Vijaya Dashami.
The nine nights of Navaratri stand for this battle, and each day is dedicated to a different form of the goddess. The story presents Dashain as the victory of dharma (righteousness) over adharma. The same theme appears in other festivals, including the women's festival of Teej and Tihar.
Why families gather
For most people, Dashain is mainly a family festival. The tika ritual connects generations, and relatives who live in other cities or abroad come home for it. To track Dashain dates and set a reminder for each day, see the guide to using the Nepali Calendar app.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many days is Dashain?
Dashain is usually called a fifteen-day festival. The main ritual period is ten days, from Ghatasthapana on the first tithi of Ashwin Shukla to Vijaya Dashami on the tenth. Tika continues after that until Kojagrat Purnima, the full moon, about five days later.
What is jamara and why is it important?
Jamara is the pale yellow barley and maize grass sown on Ghatasthapana and grown in the dark for nine days. On Vijaya Dashami, elders place it on the heads of younger relatives with the red tika. It stands for the blessing and fertility linked with the goddess Durga.
Why do the dates of Dashain change every year?
Dashain follows the lunar tithi cycle in the bright fortnight of Ashwin, not a fixed Gregorian date. The lunar year and the solar year have different lengths, so the festival moves around September and October each year. The exact Ghatasthapana and Vijaya Dashami days for each year are on the Dashain page.
Is animal sacrifice required during Dashain?
No. Animal sacrifice on Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami is a custom in some communities, and practice differs widely. Many families offer fruit, coconut or pumpkin instead. There is no single rule. Each household follows its own tradition.