Today, on Ashwin Shukla Shashti, devotees across Nepal are performing special rituals in honor of Goddess Katyayani at their homes and sacred spaces. This marks an important tradition in the Vedic Sanatan Dharma, where devotees worship Goddess Katyayani on this day each year.
According to ancient scriptures, Goddess Katyayani took the form of a beautiful maiden at the ashram of sage Katyayana to assist the gods. Captivated by her beauty, Sage Katyayana accepted her as his daughter, giving her the name Katyayani. She is depicted riding a tiger, holding a sword in her hand, and adorned with hibiscus flowers and earrings. Legends describe her as a fierce destroyer of demons, and she is worshiped in this form today.
The Dashain festival, also known as Durga Puja, began on Ashwin 17 with Ghatasthapana, where barley seeds (jamara) were planted in a ritualistic setup. The first day saw the invocation of Goddess Shailaputri, followed by the worship of Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, and Kushmanda on the subsequent days. As per tradition, Kushmanda is worshiped on both the fourth and fifth days due to the overlap of sunrise timings.
On the fifth day, devotees worshiped Goddess Skandamata and today, Katyayani is honored with rituals. The Navaratri festival is observed by reading sacred texts such as the Durga Saptashati (Chandi) and Shrimad Devi Bhagavat. It is believed that those who worship Goddess Durga during these nine days receive blessings of power, prosperity, and knowledge.
During the Dashain period, jamara and tika, considered sacred blessings from the goddess, are offered to devotees from Vijaya Dashami to Kojagrat Purnima, the final day of the festival. While some families apply tika only on Vijaya Dashami, it is traditionally accepted to continue the practice until Kojagrat Purnima, as noted by Professor Dr. Devmani Bhattarai, a member of the Dharmashastra Committee.
Each day of the festival is dedicated to one of the nine forms of Goddess Durga, also known as Navadurga. These include Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri.
Throughout the Navaratri period, devotees flock to major Shakti Peethas (sacred shrines) across the country, including Kathmandu Valley’s Guhyeshwari, Jayabageshwari, Maitidevi, Naxal Bhagwati, Bhadrakali, and other famous temples. Outside the valley, prominent sites such as Palanchowk Bhagwati, Manakamana, Pathibhara, and Baglung Kalika see large crowds of worshippers.
In Kathmandu, these sacred temples experience a constant stream of visitors throughout the day. Evening rituals, including aarti and lighting of lamps, attract even more devotees as they visit the temples to seek blessings during this grand festival.
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