Ghatasthapana

What Ghatasthapana is

Ghatasthapana is Ashwin Shukla Pratipada, the first day of Dashain and of Navaratri, the nine nights of Goddess Durga. A kalash filled with holy water is set up in the puja room and barley is sown beside it. The shoots, the jamara, grow in the dark for nine days and are worn with the tika on Vijaya Dashami.

How families keep it

Pandit Ji sets up the kalash at the auspicious time of the morning and begins the Chandi path, the recitation of the Durga Saptashati, which many families continue for all nine days.

The days of Dashain

• Ghatasthapana

  Friday, October 1, 2027 · Ashwin 14, 2084

  The first day of Dashain: the kalash is set up and the jamara is sown.

• Fulpati

  Wednesday, October 6, 2027 · Ashwin 19, 2084

  The seventh day of Dashain, when the fulpati is brought into the house.

• Maha Ashtami

  Thursday, October 7, 2027 · Ashwin 20, 2084

  The eighth day of Dashain, given to Goddess Durga in her fiercest form.

• Maha Navami

  Saturday, October 9, 2027 · Ashwin 22, 2084

  The ninth day of Dashain and the last of Navaratri.

• Vijaya Dashami

  Sunday, October 10, 2027 · Ashwin 23, 2084

  The tenth and greatest day of Dashain, when elders give tika, jamara and their blessing.

• Kojagrat Purnima

  Thursday, October 14, 2027 · Ashwin 27, 2084

  The full moon that closes Dashain, a night of wakefulness for Goddess Laxmi.

Ghatasthapana in the coming years

• 2026Sunday, October 11, 2026Ashwin 25, 2083
• 2027Friday, October 1, 2027Ashwin 14, 2084
• 2028Tuesday, September 19, 2028Ashwin 3, 2085
• 2029Monday, October 8, 2029Ashwin 22, 2086
• 2030Saturday, September 28, 2030Ashwin 11, 2087
• 2031Friday, October 17, 2031Ashwin 30, 2088

Each date is the day Nepal keeps the festival. Nepal publishes its patro one year at a time, so a date further ahead can move by a day when that year's patro comes out. For a ceremony, Pandit Ji confirms the day and the muhurta.