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Devotees Throng Kathmandu Temples on Maha Ashtami
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News18•18-10-2026, 16:00
Devotees Throng Kathmandu Temples on Maha Ashtami
- •Devotees gathered at Durga temples across the Kathmandu Valley on Sunday to offer prayers on Maha Ashtami, the eighth day of the Bada Dashain festival.
- •Maha Ashtami holds special religious significance, with Hindus worshipping Goddess Durga in her forms of Mahakali, Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati.
- •Large crowds visited prominent shrines such as Guheshwori, Naxal Bhagawati, Bhadrakali, and Taleju Bhawani, which were decorated with lights and paper flags.
- •President Ramchandra Paudel and Prime Minister Balendra Shah extended Dashain greetings, emphasizing family bonds, social harmony, and national unity.
- •This year's celebrations take place as Nepal continues to mourn victims of the August 26 Bhotekoshi flash floods, with government efforts underway to rehabilitate displaced individuals.
Key Questions Answered
Maha Ashtami holds special religious significance for Nepal's Hindu community, who worship Goddess Durga in her forms of Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, and Mahasaraswati, which are associated with power, wealth, and knowledge.
Large crowds gathered at numerous temples across Kathmandu, including Guheshwori, Naxal Bhagawati, Bhadrakali, Shova Bhagawati, Bijeshwori, Indrayani, Raktakali, Bajrayogini, and Taleju Bhawani to offer prayers and perform rituals.
The celebrations culminate on the tenth day, known as Vijaya Dashami, when elders apply tika—a mixture of vermilion powder, curd, and rice—and give jamara, or barley shoots, to younger family members as blessings.
