Dashain
Sep–Oct, 15 days ending on the full moon of Ashwin (lunar calendar)
Dashain runs for 15 days in the bright half of the lunar month of Ashwin, usually in late September or October. It begins with Ghatasthapana, when families sow barley in a clay pot in a dark corner of the house; the yellow shoots, called jamara, are worn on the tenth day. On Fulpati, the seventh day, a procession carries sacred items into Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu Durbar Square. The eighth and ninth days bring offerings and animal sacrifices at Durga temples across the valley.
The heart of the festival is Vijaya Dashami, the tenth day. Elders press a tika of red powder, rice and yoghurt onto the foreheads of younger family members, tuck jamara behind their ears and give blessings and small gifts of money. Families travel across Nepal to receive tika from their grandparents, and the cities empty. Children fly kites from every rooftop, and tall bamboo swings, called ping, go up in villages and open ground.
For travellers, Dashain is a time of family warmth rather than public spectacle, but the mood is visible everywhere. Expect offices, banks and many shops to close for several days around the tenth, and roads and buses to be crowded in the days before and after. Our guides can arrange a respectful visit to a family home for tika, and the temples of the valley are busy and full of colour.
How to do it well
- Book Kathmandu hotels and domestic flights early, as Nepalis travel home in large numbers.
- Plan long drives away from the days just before and after Vijaya Dashami.
- Sacrifices take place at some temples on the eighth and ninth days; tell us if you would rather avoid them.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
When is Dashain celebrated?
Dashain follows the lunar calendar and usually falls between late September and late October, running for 15 days and ending on the full moon of Ashwin. The most important days are Ghatasthapana, the first, Fulpati, the seventh, and Vijaya Dashami, the tenth, when tika is given. Dates move each year, so check current status before you travel and we will plan around them.
Is Dashain a good time to visit Nepal?
Yes, with planning. Dashain falls in the clearest weather of the year, and the festive mood is everywhere. The drawbacks are closed offices and shops around the tenth day and crowded roads and flights as Nepalis travel home. We book hotels and domestic flights early and keep long drives away from the busiest days, so the festival adds to the journey rather than disrupting it.
Can tourists take part in Dashain?
Yes, respectfully. Dashain is a family festival, and the most meaningful way to share it is to receive tika from a Nepali family, which our guides can sometimes arrange. You can also watch kite flying, visit busy Durga temples and see the swings in villages. Dress modestly at temples, ask before photographing rituals and accept food or blessings with your right hand.
What is Dashain tika?
Tika is a mixture of red vermilion powder, rice grains and yoghurt pressed onto the forehead by an elder on Vijaya Dashami and the days that follow. It comes with jamara, the yellow barley shoots grown since the first day, placed behind the ear, and blessings for health and prosperity. Families travel long distances to receive tika from the oldest relatives in person.
Festival journeys
Routes built around the calendar
