Dashain is the biggest festival in Nepal and the Tika celebration is the last day of the Bada Dashain festival when there are family gatherings. The eldest of the family puts a tika on the forehead and offers Jamara barley saplings, fruits and money as a blessing to the younger ones in the family.

This is a festival of get-togethers, feasting on delicacies and playing traditional Nepali games together such as swinging, Langar-Purja and others. On Vijayadashmi Tika day, there was a long queue outside Kumari temple and other goddess temples across Nepal.

President of Nepal Ram Chandra Paudel offered tika to the general public on the occasion of the Bada Dashain today. The Head of the State gave tika and Jamara to the public after he offered the Dashain tika to VVIPs including Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the Office of the President, Shital Niwas.

People willing to receive the tika visited the President’s residence, Shital Niwas today.

By Sweta Singh (Kathmandu)