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A palanquin containing flowers and other offerings commonly called the Phulpati arrived at the courtyard of Basantapur Durbar Square's Dashain Ghar from Gorkha Durbar on Saturday afternoon.
The Gorkha Durbar, a former Royal Palace that hosted Prithivi Narayan Shah, the unifier of modern Nepal, has continued to send offerings honouring age-old traditions. Phulpati, an assortment of flowers, leaves and fruits of different plants, is considered auspicious and is anointed at Dashain Ghar on the seventh day of the fortnightly festival of Dashain. Dashain also known as Vijaya Dashami is a Hindu festival celebrated in India, Nepal. The ritualistic shipment is usually sent off from the Gorkha Dashain Ghar of Gorkha Durbar to the former Royal Palace of Kathmandu to perform the associated Vedic rituals. The Phulpati is carried to Kathmandu as per the Vedic rites to be anointed at the Dashain Ghar, Hanumandhoka Durbar in line with the time-honoured tradition. The tradition traces its roots to the time the then King of Gorkha, Prithvi Narayan Shah, started his rule from the Hanumandhoka Durbar in Kathmandu. From then onwards, a palanquin bearing the Phulpati is dispatched each year from Gorkha Dashainghar on the seventh day of Dashain. The assistants of the Gorkha Durbar carry the Phulpati up to a place called Phulpati Chautara at Satipipal and from there, it is carried up to Kathmandu. At Hanumandhoka Durbar, the Gurujyuko platoon, the Nepal Army, the Nepal police, and high-ranking officials of the Armed Police and civil service, the Asha Gurja team, band music, panchebaja, decorated kalsyoulis, and a procession along with cultural pageantry leave for Hanuman Dhoka from Jamal with the Phulpati. Though the Dashain festival begins from Ghatasthapana, the festival sees special fervour from the day of Phulpati. All government as well as private offices in Nepal are closed down from today encouraging people to go back to their respective ancestral homes and take blessings from Durga Bhawani as well as their elders. (ANI)
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