Chaitra dashain is also called Chaite Dashain. It is the second dashain or small dashain. Chaite falls in last month of Chaitra. The name of festival is derive from the Name of month when it falls. The festival is dedicated to Goddess Durga. It is celebrated for two days. It is almost the last festival in the year according to the Nepali Bikram Sambat Calendar. After this festival New Year comes in Nepal. Chaitra Dashain is celebrated for two days. The first day is Ram Nawami and second day is dashami. As this dashain is second dashain, people take this dashain as more than the big dashain. Chaite Dashain is celebrated for victory to killing the devils.
When is Chaitra Dashain?
Ram Nawami is followed by Chaite Dashain. The Chaite Dashain falls in 1st April, 2020 (19th Chaitra 2076).
How do we celebrate Chaite Dashain?
In Chaite Dashain, people worship Goddess Durga Bhawani. They visit Durga Temple and praise goddess for her power and ability. Ram Nawami is celebrate by worshiping Lord Rama. Nepali women keep fasting in the day for praising Ram. They visit Lord Ram temples.
Chaite Dashain is the public holiday festival. People enjoy this festival by spending time with their families and friends. They invite their relatives. They cook delicious food items and have it. Many animals like buffalo, goats, chicken, goats, sheep, cocks, duck are sacrifice in the temples of Durga Bhawani. The main temples of Durga Bhawani are in Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square and in Bhaktapur durbar Square.
Story behind celebrating Chaitra Dashain
Chaite Dashain is a day when Lord Rama came back to his palace Ayodhaya returning his wife Sita and his brother laxman. People of Ayodhaya celebrate this day as a joy and happiness as a festival. Ram Nawami is the Birthday of Lord Rama.
Lord Rama is one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu. He was a good husband, great son and great king. Rama showed the example what human should be like. He was an obeying person. Rama was full of his duties and responsibilities. Rama is also name as Maryada Purusottam Ram. According to the legends, Durga was helper of Rama to kill Ravan. Ravan was king of Lanka. He had ten head. He can think equally with his ten head. Ravan was brilliant scientist and generous in that period. He had kidnap Rama’s wife Sita.
It is said that Ram worshipped Durga for 9 days before Ravan was kill. Thus, these 9 days are days regard as worship day and tenth day is victory day. People take parsad of victory in tenth day. In Ancient, People used to celebrate Bada dashain at this time. But during this time people started suffering from health diseases due to heavy food during festival. So, this festival is move to autumn during asojh/bhadra for celebration. According to legends, Durga came to help Rama for victory to win Ravan. So, Ram is worship first in festival in Ram Nawami and Durga is worshipe in Dashain.
.
