Newar Community’s Unique Dashain: A Blend of Tantra, Culture, and Tradition
30th September 2025, Kathmandu
Dashain, Nepal’s biggest festival, is celebrated with grandeur across the country. Among the Newar community, however, Dashain takes on a distinctive form.
Newar Community’s Unique Dashain
While it resembles the wider Hindu tradition in many ways, the Newar Dashain is deeply influenced by tantric practices, symbolic rituals, and cultural uniqueness.
Preparations Before Dashain
Similar to other Nepali households, Newars plant jamara and establish kalash days before the festival. On Vijaya Dashami, the sacred jamara and offerings are received as prasad. Yet, the turning point of Newar Dashain begins on Ashtami.
On this day, families gather for Kuchhi Bhway, a traditional feast where relatives and clan members sit together. Elders lead and conclude the meal, while younger members must follow strict discipline. This is more than dining—it symbolizes unity, respect, and family order.
Sacrifices and Symbolism
The ninth day, Navami, is marked by animal sacrifices, a practice still alive in many Newar households and temples. Goats and buffaloes are offered as symbols of energy and devotion. The following day, Dashami, devotees carry ceremonial swords after performing rituals with water from the kalash. A symbolic act of cutting pumpkins with swords reflects the victory of good over evil.
Tantric Rituals in Worship
Unlike the mainstream Vedic rituals, Newar Dashain strongly embraces tantric traditions. Offerings include meat, black soybeans, beaten rice, vegetables, and homemade liquor, all representing the five elements of nature. Tantric mantras hold deeper meaning, as they are believed to manifest life itself, making even symbolic offerings powerful.
Red and Black Tika Tradition
One of the unique aspects of Newar Dashain is the use of both red and black tika. While red tika is common across Nepal, black tika is prepared from soot collected above oil lamps. These soot patterns are considered divine symbols and are applied during rituals.
This practice connects with the concept of Mohani, a word linked to Lord Vishnu’s Mohini avatar. The Mohini form, which deceived demons during the distribution of nectar, represents divine attraction and victory. Thus, Mohani in Newar Dashain symbolizes enchantment, power, and devotion.
Taleju Bhawani and Historic Practices
The Newar Dashain also has a strong link with Taleju Bhawani, the royal deity of the Malla kings. Even today, sacrifices of 108 or 54 animals take place at the Taleju temple. The numbers symbolize the sacred beads of a rudraksha garland.
After the sacrifices, the meat is divided into eight portions and distributed according to seniority, while the leftovers are offered to Chhwas Ajima. This ritual is believed to aid animals in transitioning from lower to higher realms of existence.
Ancestors and Lineage
Ancestor worship is another core part of Newar Dashain. Sons play a vital role in continuing family traditions and guiding ancestors toward heaven. Dashain rituals, therefore, are not only about present worship but also about ensuring cultural and spiritual continuity across generations.
Feasts, Yomari, and Social Harmony
Newar households prepare 84 varieties of dishes as offerings before sharing them in communal feasts. This strengthens social unity and the culture of collective celebration.
The festival also connects with Yomari, a traditional delicacy linked to Chaurasi Puja and childhood rituals. Though some families avoid preparing Yomari due to past misfortunes, it remains an important symbol of Newar cultural identity.
Cultural Identity Through Dashain
To outsiders, Newar Dashain may appear similar to the broader Hindu celebration. Yet, its tantric depth, symbolic rituals, and cultural practices make it unique.
As cultural scholar Sushil Rajopadhyay explains, “The process may look similar, but Newar Dashain blends tantric rituals and cultural values in ways that give it its own identity.”
For more: Newar Community’s Unique Dashain
