Dashain, the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by the Nepalis of all caste and creed is being observed throughout the country on Tuesday.

The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon.

Dashain is celebrated with great rejoice, and goddess Durga is worshiped throughout the kingdom as the divine mother goddess.

Dashain commemorates a great victory of the gods over the wicked demons.

The first day of Dashain is called Ghatasthapana, which literally means pot establishing. On this day the kalash, (holy water vessel) symbolising goddess Durga often with her image embossed on the side is placed in the prayer room.

The Ghatasthapana ritual is performed at a certain auspicious moment determined by the astrologers. At that particular moment the priest intones a welcome, requesting goddess Durga to bless the vessel with her presence.

On the Ghatasthapana, literally means pot establishing, people sow seeds of `Jamara' that includes shoots of rice, maize and barley on earthen pots covered with cow dung and soil mixed with sand brought from the holy rivers in their prayer room called 'Dashain Ghar'.

The ritual is being performed at a certain auspicious moment determined by the astrologers. People sow Jamara at the particular moment the priest intones a welcome, requesting goddess Durga to bless the vessel with her presence.

For the next nine days also known as 'Nawa Ratri' people pay their homage to the goddess through tantric rites in the Dashain Ghar. Also the ferocious battle between goddess Durga and the demon Mahisasur. It is believed that if she is properly worshiped and pleased good fortunes are on the way and if angered through neglect then misfortunes are around the corner.

On the tenth day, called Vijaya Dashami or Bada Dashain-people take 'tika and jamara' as blessings from their elders and enjoy family feasts. People travel from far and wide to their houses to meet their family and friends.

People also visit temples of Goddess Durga (Goddess of Power) and other Goddesses through out `Nava Ratra'.

Dashain celebration glorifies the triumph of good over evil and is symbolized by goddess Durga slaying the terrible demon Mahisasur, who terrorized the earth in the guise of a brutal water buffalo. The first nine days signify the nine days of ferrous battle between goddess Durga and the demon Mahisasur. The tenth day is the day when Mahisasur was slain and the last five days symbolize the celebration of the victory with the blessing of the goddess.

The fifteen days festival celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood.

While most of the schools and colleges remain closed for a period of 15 days beginning 'Ghatasthapana,' government offices remain closed for six days beginning 'Fulpati' (the seventh day of the Dashain).

In preparation for Dashain people cleansed and beautifully decorated, painted their houses as an invitation to the mother goddess.

The markets were seen filled with shoppers seeking new clothing, gifts, luxuries and enormous supplies of temple offering for the gods, as well as foodstuffs for the family feasting.