Dashain: Nepal's Biggest Festival

Dashain is the longest, most anticipated and most important festival in Nepal — a 15-day Hindu celebration that brings the entire country to a near standstill as families reunite, elders bless the young, and homes fill with feasting. If you visit in autumn, Dashain will shape everything from bus availability to the mood on the streets, so it pays to understand it.

What Dashain celebrates

Dashain honours the goddess Durga and her victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura — the triumph of good over evil. Across the 15 days, devotees worship Durga in her many forms, and the festival doubles as a great annual homecoming, when people working in cities or abroad return to their family villages.

When it falls

Dashain takes place in the Nepali lunar month of Ashwin, which lands in September or October in the Gregorian calendar, finishing on the full moon. Because it follows the lunar calendar, the exact dates move by a couple of weeks each year — always confirm close to your trip using our best time to visit Nepal guide.

The key days are:

Day	Name	What happens
1	Ghatasthapana	Barley seeds sown to grow jamara
7	Phulpati	Sacred flowers and plants brought into homes
8	Maha Ashtami	Worship of Durga; sacrifices begin
9	Maha Navami	Major day of animal sacrifice
10	Vijaya Dashami	Tika and jamara given by elders
15	Kojagrat Purnima	Full moon; worship of Lakshmi

How and where it is celebrated

Dashain is observed nationwide rather than at a single landmark. The most public day is Vijaya Dashami, when elders place a red tika (rice, yoghurt and vermilion) on younger relatives' foreheads, tuck yellow jamara sprouts behind their ears, and give blessings and small cash gifts. In Kathmandu, Durga temples such as those around the old Newar quarters draw crowds, and you may catch ceremonies in Durbar Squares. Villages put up towering bamboo swings (ping) and the skies fill with kites.

What travellers will see

Expect decorated homes, new clothes, communities gathered for tika, and goats being herded to market in the days before. You will see kites overhead, children on bamboo swings, and queues outside temples on the eighth and ninth days. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming — visitors are often invited to share food. Be aware that animal sacrifice is part of the ninth day; you can easily steer clear of those sites if you prefer.

Kite-flying is one of the festival's most charming sights: in the weeks around Dashain the autumn skies above Kathmandu and other towns fill with colourful paper kites, a tradition said to remind the rain god Indra that the monsoon is over and to call down good weather for the harvest. The bamboo swings (ping), built communally in villages and on the edges of towns, are another highlight, with children and adults alike taking turns to swing high. Card games and gatherings of extended family round out the holiday, and the whole season is wrapped in a spirit of homecoming, abundance and renewal.

Tips for visitors

• Book early. Buses, domestic flights and rooms sell out days ahead as people travel home.
• Carry cash. Banks and many ATMs and shops close for several days.
• Dress modestly at temples and accept tika or prasad with your right hand — see our Nepal culture and etiquette guide.
• Ask before photographing rituals or sacrifices.

Dashain leads straight into Tihar, the festival of lights, a couple of weeks later, and pairs naturally with the women's festival of Teej that precedes the autumn season. For the full picture, browse the complete festival calendar of Nepal.