Kathmandu, Nepal: Hindus across Nepal are celebrating Phulpati today, the seventh day of Bada Dashain, by bringing sacred plants and flowers into their homes and worshipping Goddess Kalaratri, the seventh form of Goddess Durga.
Families mark the day by placing leaves, flowers, sugarcane stalks and other sacred plants in their prayer rooms. Devotees worship Kalaratri, who is believed to protect them from evil and danger.
In Kathmandu, the main Phulpati ceremony includes a procession carrying the sacred offerings from Gorkha to Dashain Ghar at Hanuman Dhoka. The procession features traditional music and ceremonial honours. The ritual is among the important events of Dashain and reflects a tradition that links the festival with Nepal's history and religious practices.
Phulpati falls on the seventh day of Navaratri, the nine-day period dedicated to the nine forms of Goddess Durga. The festival begins with Ghatasthapana, when barley seeds are sown to grow Jamara, which is later used during Dashain tika.
Devotees visit temples and Shakti Peeths during the festival and recite religious texts, including the Durga Saptashati, also known as the Chandi. Families also gather for prayers and other religious activities.
The celebrations continue through Vijaya Dashami, when elders put red tika and Jamara on younger family members and offer blessings. Dashain festivities traditionally conclude on Kojagrat Purnima, the full moon day following Vijaya Dashami.
