Bijaya Dashami | Devi Bisharjan | UN day | World Development Information Day

Dashami Tika
Badadashin of 2080 B.S
This year, the best time for Vijayadashami is 7th Kartik at 11:02 am according to the Nepal Panchang Nirnayak Samitee. On the day of Vijayadashami Devi Visarjan can be done at 10:37 in the morning.

Someone longs for the Dakshina (Money received by younger after Tika), someone longs for blessings, new clothes, shoes, and the memory of missing relatives ... maybe! Dashain is a handful of gifts of love, affection, respect, and laughter that may be needed at any time in the past, present, and future. Welcome to this special day of this year’s Dashain Tika.

Akshyata
Now, let me first explain what is Akshyata in general, Akshyata is a mixture of red abeer, curd, and rice which is mixed, and the colorful mixture is placed on the forehead as an auspicious Dashain gift and followed by blessings. All family member gathers together, worships the deities today and later they worship the main pillar of the house, main entrance and formally starts the Tika process.

Elderly people go to a person older than themselves to get Tika, normally elder one puts Tika to the younger ones. Now this year, the number of people going for Tika has simply decreased, there may be a decrease in the numbers and the availability of the foreheads, but there is certainly no barrier to blessings and remembrance.

Buddhist aspect of Dashain Tika
This holy festival is not limited to Hinduism but is a traditional festival. It has been celebrated with joy and rejoicing even by Buddhists. The only difference is that Hindus worship the new Durga Bhagwati with a red tika, while Buddhists worship with the white Tika.

Today is Dashami Tithi i.e. the tenth day of Vijayadashami and this day which falls on this day is a word derived from Dashmi and Dussehra. Dussehra means the defeat of Dashanan Ravana (Dashanan means Dus = ten + anan = mouth). Ravana had ten heads and today is celebrated for the victory against him.

Mahishashur
It is also mentioned that Durga Bhavani killed an monster named Mahishashur on this day. This atmosphere of Tika, Jamra, and fun is considered as the victory of the gods over the demons, the victory of truth over untruth, and the victory of humanity over the inhuman elements.

Different blessings are given to men and women while applying Tika, let me put the simple meaning of those Mantras here.

Dashain Tika Mantra and Meaning for Male
ॐ
आयू द्रोण सुते, श्रृयं दशरथे शत्रुक्षयं राधवे
ऐश्वर्य नहुषे, गतिश्च पवने, मानं च दूर्योधने ।।
सौर्य शान्तनवे, बलं हलधरे सत्यं च कुन्ती सुते
विज्ञानं विदुरे भवतु भवतां कीर्तिश्च नारायणे ।।

May you live long like the age of Drona's son Asvatthama, may your deeds be famous like of King Dasharatha, may your enemy be diminished like of Lord Rama, May your prosperity be like of King Nahusha, may you attain the speed of Vayu, may you acquire the respect like of Duryodhana.

Be generous like Surya Putra, be strong like Bhima, be truthful like Yudhisthira, be wise like Vidura, be well-known like Narayan.

Dashain Tika Mantra and Meaning for female
ॐ
जयन्ती मङ्गलाकाली, भद्रकाली कपालिनी।
दुर्गा क्षमा शिवाधात्री, स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तुते।

That is the goddess who has the power to conquer the whole world, who can diagnose every darkness, the goddess who is beyond the bounds of time, who wears a garland of human skulls and can diagnose all kinds of misery. O Goddess who protects this world! Accept the devotion offered by your devotee, we bow to you.

Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on this auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, a symbol of victory of truth over untruth and justice over injustice. Good luck to all, best wishes. May anger, greed, injustice, arrogance, impunity, cruelty, corruption and many forms of Ravan pervade, may hunger and thirst is eradicated from this world, May we all be able to fight this COVID virus.

Devi Bisharjan
ईति सम्प्राथ्र्य देवीं तु तत उत्थापयेद् बुध ।
उत्तिष्ठ देवी चण्डेशि शुभां पूजा प्रगृह च ।।
कुरुष्व मम कल्याणमष्टाभि शक्तिभिःसह ।
गच्छ गच्छ परं स्थानं स्वस्थानं दवि चण्डिके ।।

After worshiping the Goddess on Navratri, the Goddess is formally returned on the day of Dashami. Accepting the worship done on earth, the goddess is called to go to her abode today.

United Nations Day 
Background:
United Nations Day has been celebrated on October 24 every year since 1948. In 1971, the General Assembly of the United Nations approved a proposal to grant public holidays to all member states on this historic day. Today, various programs are organized around the world to inform about the formation, work, and goals of the United Nations.

The United Nations Week is celebrated from 20 to 26 October every year and October 24 is celebrated as the United Nations Day with special interest and enthusiasm.

Theme 2023:
Appreciating Peace & Promoting Non-Violence: The Role of the UN and Local Youth Movements.

Post pearl harbor
When World War II ended and the world began to search for peace, when the United States, including Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Pearl Harbor, were littered with corpses and ammunition. The United Nations was established for long-term peace at a time when humanity was desperate due to the world war. It is an international organization that maintains coordination and cooperation among all member nations. Replacing the League of Nations with such actions before the end of World War II, the United Nations has been established to establish world peace and coordination more reliably and to prevent the recurrence of wars such as the First and Second World Wars.

Since it is called United Nations in English, we also mean the UN in short. The United Nations is an organization we have all seen, heard, and read about, from war-torn areas to natural disasters patrolling areas with helping hands, medicine, clean food, water, clothes, etc. In Nepal too, most of us have seen different types of vehicles with blue flags and blue number plates.

The United Nations advocates for world peace and harmony in its member states promote the guarantee of basic human rights, supports social and economic development, and restores peace and assistance to victims of any famine, natural disaster, or violence around the world.

Under the auspices of the United Nations, there are specialized organizations to work on various target areas and issues, such as the World Food and Agriculture Organization for Food and Agriculture, the International Atomic Energy Agency, UNICEF for children and women, and so on.

World Development Information Day
Information and communication technologies are likely to provide new solutions to development challenges, especially in the context of globalization, and may promote economic growth, competition, access to information and knowledge, poverty alleviation, and social inclusion. The United Nations General Assembly established World Development Information Day in 1972 and resolved to strengthen international cooperation to address global development problems. Every year on October 24, World Development Information Day is celebrated around the world.

The UN General Assembly has said that dissemination and mobilization of information will lead to greater awareness of development issues, especially among young people, and will lead to greater efforts in the field of international development assistance.

- Suyog Dhakal