UnitedDashain — Vijaya Dashami
विजया दशमी
About
Why this matters in the US
Dashain almost never falls on a US weekend and there is no holiday that recognizes it, so most US Nepalese households compress the 15-day observance into one or two weekends, fly to Nepal if life allows, or do both. Hindu temples and NRNA chapters in larger metros host community tika events on the weekend nearest Vijaya Dashami; smaller cities organize around a single host family or a rented hall. The harder problem is keeping the second generation connected — most families settle on taking the kids to receive tika from the oldest available elder in person and setting up a video tika call with Nepal-side grandparents.
How it's observed
- Day 1
Plant the jamara
The household plants barley seeds in a small mound of sand at a sacred spot in the house. The yellow shoots will be ready to use on Day 10. A paper cup or small clay pot on the kitchen altar works fine in diaspora homes.
- Day 7
Sacred flowers and plants procession
Historically a royal procession of sacred flowers, plants, and a water vessel from Gorkha to Kathmandu. The public ceremony continues at Hanuman Dhoka. Diaspora observance is usually private — a small prayer with whatever sacred plants are accessible.
- Days 8–9
The most ritually intense days
In Nepal these days include animal sacrifice at goddess temples. A growing share of diaspora families substitute coconut, ash gourd, or a symbolic offering — for practical reasons and because the next generation is often vegetarian.
- Day 10
Vijaya Dashami (tika)
The climax. Elders apply a paste of rice, yogurt, and vermilion to the forehead of each younger family member, tuck a sprig of jamara behind the ear, recite a blessing, and give a small cash offering. Visits move in strict age hierarchy — eldest relatives first, then down the family tree.
- Day 15
Kojagrat full moon
A Laxmi prayer and a final family meal close the festival. Remaining jamara is offered to flowing water — traditionally a stream or river; in the diaspora often a backyard garden bed.
What's on the table
The canonical dishes — and where US Nepalese source the ingredients.
Sel roti (सेल रोटी)
Sweet ring-shaped rice doughnut — the Dashain bread. Rice flour, banana, sugar, ghee, fried in a ring shape.
Goat curry (khasi ko masu) (खसीको मासु)
The centerpiece of the festival meal. Goat is widely available at South Asian and Middle Eastern grocers in most US metros.
Potato, black-eyed peas & bamboo-shoot curry (आलु बोडी तामा)
A sour-broth curry — one of the canonical Dashain sides. Canned bamboo shoots from any Asian market work.
Rice pudding (kheer) (खीर)
With cardamom, raisins, cashews. Made in big batches; leftovers are the next day's breakfast.
Mithai (sweets assortment) (मिठाई)
Assorted sweets such as laddu, peda and barfi are common on family visit tables.
Beaten rice with yogurt (dahi cheura) (दही चिउरा)
Light side, served alongside the heavier dishes.
Achar (अचार)
Pickled radish or mixed-vegetable achar — brightens the meal.
Origin & meaning
Dashain commemorates the goddess Durga's nine-day battle with the buffalo demon Mahishasura and her victory on the tenth day — Vijaya Dashami, the "day of victory." The nine nights of Navaratri honor nine forms of Durga. The tika ceremony — paste of rice and yogurt and vermilion applied by an elder, with jamara tucked behind the ear, accompanied by a blessing — is performed for every younger family member by every senior family member, which is why Dashain in Nepal stretches across days. Buddhist, Kirat, and other non-Hindu Nepalese communities also participate in family tika traditions; the social bond of the festival often matters more than the strict religious frame.
Events for this festival
Upcoming
Past
Organizing a Dashain — Vijaya Dashami event?
Post it on UnitedSewa so the diaspora can find it — community gatherings, religious observances, family programs, cultural performances. Two-minute form.
Sources & last verified
We publish a festival date only after checking it against the panchang and these sources.
- drikpanchang + merokalam + nepinsights (Oct 17–23 holiday window; Tika = Oct 21)
Hero photo: Ankit Jaiswal91, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
