Prime Minister Balendra Shah has urged all Nepalis, both at home and abroad, to unite against corruption, misgovernance, procrastination, inequality, and political anomalies, in his Vijaya Dashami message. He extended wishes for happiness, peace, prosperity, and continuous progress, stating that honest efforts, firm determination, and collective hard work are essential to eliminate these ‘demonic tendencies’.
In a message posted on social media on Wednesday, the main day of Vijaya Dashami, Prime Minister Shah stressed the need for a change in both mindset and behavior to ensure every citizen feels that the government is there for them.
Dashain’s traditional message and significance
Prime Minister Shah highlighted that Vijaya Dashami symbolizes the triumph of truth over falsehood. According to mythological beliefs, it is the day when the goddess Durga Bhavani defeated the demon Mahishasura and Lord Ram vanquished Ravana. He noted that the festival inspires people to abandon negative traits such as arrogance, greed, envy, violence, and discrimination.
The tradition of receiving Tika, Jamara, and blessings from elders on Vijaya Dashami encourages victory in good deeds. Prime Minister Shah stated that this tradition, which includes visiting distant relatives for blessings, strengthens family ties and intimacy. He added that Vijaya Dashami unites citizens from all classes, communities, and regions of Nepal’s geographically, culturally, and linguistically diverse society, providing an opportunity to reconnect with long-lost friends and relatives.
Call to action against corruption and misgovernance
In his message, Prime Minister Shah presented corruption and misgovernance as major national challenges. He labeled these issues as ‘demonic tendencies’ and emphasized the necessity of collective effort to eradicate them. Statistics from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Nepal’s anti-graft body, show that 52.80 percent of registered complaints are against local governments, 12.32 percent against provincial governments, and 34.88 percent against the federal government, confirming the widespread nature of corruption across various levels.
Furthermore, the Office of the Auditor General has identified updated outstanding arrears totaling Rs 669.86 billion across federal government offices, provincial government offices, local levels, and other institutions. The Prime Minister reiterated the need for honest efforts and firm determination to eliminate such irregularities.
Auspicious time for Dashain Tika
The Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Bikas Samiti, the body responsible for determining auspicious times, has set 10:26 AM on Kartik 4 (BS) as the most auspicious time for receiving Tika this Vijaya Dashami. According to Professor Purushottam Bhattarai, chairman of the committee, ordinary people do not need to seek an auspicious time for Tika, as Vijaya Dashami itself is an inherently auspicious day.
However, he noted that state officials are advised to receive Tika at the auspicious time, as it is believed to bestow power, wisdom, and enthusiasm according to classical texts. The Vijaya Dashami Tika is applied after a Vedic ritualistic anointing from the sacred pot established on Ghatasthapana. The tradition allows for receiving Tika from elders from Vijaya Dashami until Kojagrat Purnima.
Gagan Thapa urges sharing joy with those in distress
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa urged people to share their joy and alleviate the suffering of families in distress, noting that this year’s Vijaya Dashami is being celebrated under sensitive circumstances of national calamity and pain. He made this appeal through a social media message. Prime Minister Shah also encouraged everyone to celebrate Vijaya Dashami according to their capacity and circumstances, and to share goodwill, unity, respect, and love.
