Kathmandu: Prime Minister Sushila Karki has announced that she will neither receive nor offer the traditional ‘Dashain tika’ this year during Bada Dashain, Nepal’s most significant festival.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the decision comes as a mark of respect for the lives lost and the many injured in the recent Gen-Z movement. Adarsh Kumar Shrestha, the principal private secretary to Prime Minister Karki, emphasized that the painful memory of these events remains vivid, influencing the Prime Minister’s decision.
The Prime Minister’s secretariat has issued a statement clarifying that due to the somber situation, PM Karki will abstain from participating in the Tika ceremony, a customary practice for many Nepalese during this festival. Bada Dashain, which involves the worship of Sri Durga Bhawani over nine days, culminates on the 10th day, known as Bijaya Dashami. On this day, the ritual of ‘tika’ begins following the Abhishekh, or the sprinkling of holy water.
The Tika ceremony, along with jamara, is traditionally viewed as a blessing from the goddess Nawa Durga, symbolizing prosperity and well-being.