From midnight of the eighth day, called Kalaratri (The Black Night) the sacrifices begin.  Over the next three days thousands of  buffalos, goats, ducks, and chickens are sacrificed to the Goddess, to ensure prosperity and happiness in the coming year. Out of deference to the Goddess, only male goats are sacrificed.  Don't worry, all the meat is consumed, and distributed to relatives as prasad.  It is generally believed that the animals sacrificed at Dasain are re-born as humans, thus gaining the opportunity for ultimate liberation.  Some worshippers of Vishnu and those opposed to sacrifice, may just break a gourd or an egg in a gesture of sacrifice.


The Army's sacrifices

On the ninth day sacrifices are made to Durga for the protection of all vehicles and their occupants, from the luxury limo down to the humble bicycle.  On that day the God Vishvakarma, 



the heavenly architect, handyman and producer of all mechanical things, is also propitiated.  All tools and implements of labor are worshiped with flowers, lights, incense and sacrifice.  Students' books, writers desks and pens, doctors' scalpels, all get the treatment. The Marxists even worship their hammers and sickles.  Here we see office workers worshiping their computers...




Car puja


    The tenth day, Vijaya Dasami (Oct 6), the day of the Goddess' victory over the buffalo-demon Mahisha,


and of Lord Rama's over Ravana, 

.

is the day of receiving Tika from elder relatives and superiors,  visiting them in strict order of seniority or rank, starting with one's parents.  For the next five days, until full moon day, everybody goes all over the place, visiting relatives, receiving and giving tika, exchanging joyous greetings, and feasting.








    On the final full moon day, the Buddhists, who have been quietly tolerating all this bloodshed and praying for the suffering beings, take out a day-long procession, visiting the different chaityas and shrines, scattering grains, coins, and foodstuffs to bring peace to the souls of the dead, similarly to the way they did this on Mata-Ya at the end of the holy month of Gunla.

    This full moon is known as Kojagrata, meaning 'one who is awake', when the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi is worshipped again, and gambling games are played at home.

    Life returns to normal, offices open, people go back to work, travelers return home.  It's time to tighten one's belt and start repaying the loans and recovering from the expenses incurred in unstintingly observing the festival and worshiping the Goddess.  The holy scriptures promise that those who observe the festival of Dasain, acquire virtue, power, wealth, and many offspring.  They assuredly escape the miseries of evil and sin.

Here's wishing this nation, and everybody, peace, prosperity and fulfillment on the joyous occasion of Vijaya Dasami !

Jai Ma!




Love and pranams,
Billy