Ghatasthapana in Nepal ― Date, History, and Details
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History of Ghatasthapana in Nepal and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
Ghatasthapana is a Hindu religious ritual observed on the first day of the month of Kartik in the Nepalese calendar, which usually falls between October and November in the Gregorian calendar. This festival marks the beginning of the nine-day long Diwali festival. Ghatasthapana is an auspicious occasion for worshipping Goddess Durga and invoking her blessings for a prosperous and successful year ahead.
The ritual involves filling a shallow earthen pot (ghat) with water, placing a few grains of barley in it and then keeping five types of leaves on top. This symbolic vessel is kept in the puja room or mandir of the house and worshipped daily during the nine-day period. The water from this vessel is used to perform ritual baths and to sprinkle around the house and its surroundings to purify them.
To celebrate Ghatasthapana, people prepare special dishes like laddoo, kheer and barfi. They also light lamps and candles around their homes and decorate them with flowers and colorful rangolis. People exchange gifts and sweets and enjoy traditional folk dances and songs. On the last day of the festival, they visit temples and offer prayers to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. It is believed that worshipping the deities at this time brings good luck and prosperity in the coming year.