The fortnight-long Hindu festival of ‘Bada Dashain,’ meaning Grand Dashain, starts with Ghatasthapana. On that day, a ghat (meaning pot), symbolizing the Goddess Durga, is established, and barley and other seeds are sown on a sandy bed in a special room.
As the seeds continue growing with daily worship of different forms of the Goddess, Dashain feels closer and closer. The seventh day, known as ‘Fulpati,’ is special, not just because the Grand Day is three days away. On this day, people bring in ‘ful and pati,’ meaning flowers and leaves for the worship of different forms of the Goddess. It is customary to bring nine different types of leaves: banana, pomegranate, rice stalks, turmeric, mané grass, barley, bel leaves, Ashoka, and Jayanthi. Each of these leaves is dedicated to a manifestation of Goddess Durga: Brahmani, Rakta Chandika, Lakshmi, Durga, Chamunda, Kali, Shiva, Shokaharini, and Kartiki.
