Thousands of devotees stood in serpentine lines to get blessings and worship Goddess Taleju Bhawani as the doors to the temple opened just for a day in the year. Devotees stood in line stretching across the Basantapur Durbar Square eves as goats were being sacrificed on the open square in front of Gaddhi Baithak.
Open once a year on the day of Maha Nawami, Taleju Bhawani is regarded as the main goddess of Newa, as well as the savior of children. The Taleju Bhawani temple situated within the Hanumandhoka Durbar area is opened only on the day of Mahanawami or Ashwin Shukla Nawami (the ninth day in the month of Asoj as per lunar calendar) every year.
Meanwhile, the Tulaja Bhawani goddess was taken amidst a ritualistic procession to the Mulchowk area of the Hanumandhoka Durbar Area at an auspicious hour. The statue of the goddess will be kept at Mulchowk where a special puja would be offered at midnight on Mahaastami by sacrificing 54 he-goats and 54 he-buffaloes.
The ancient temple which dates back to Malla-era opens only on the ninth day of the waxing moon in the month of Asoj as per the lunar calendar. Special worship is performed to Durga Bhawani on the occasion of the Mahanawami and the ‘jamara’ which have been germinated is offered to the goddesses at various shrines.
The Durga Saptasati and Devi Strota scriptures are also recited at homes and in temples on this day. As mentioned in the Markandeya Purana, Goddess Chamunda had slain the demon Raktabij on the day of Mahanawami. So, there is special worship of the goddess on this day with the offering of animal sacrifices. On this day, the security forces also perform what is called the ‘kot puja’ or worship of the armories.
The day of Maha Nawami is also considered as the final day to make sacrifices to Goddess Durga and her various incarnations during Dashain. The tenth day of the fortnightly festival of Dashain witnesses people touring round the house of their elders seeking blessings and Tika on the forehead.
It is believed that the sacrifices should be completed before putting on the tika on the forehead on the day of Bijaya Dashami or the tenth day of the festival. Starting from the tenth day, there is an existing culture where the tika on the forehead is offered till the day of Kojagrat Purnima or the 15th day of the festival of Dashain.
The grand statue of the goddess Taleju is placed at Mulchowk and worshipped until the day of Bijaya Dashami. It is taken to the temple sanctum sanctorum on the morning of Bijaya Dashami amidst a religious procession.
