The Dashain festival began with Ghatasthapana on Thursday with Hindus across the country sowing barley seeds for jamara at their homes and temples.

On this day, people clean up their houses early in the morning and prepare for Ghatasthapana, which literally means setting up the pot. ‘Ghata’ means pot and ‘sthapana’ means to establish.

Hindu deity Ganesh is also worshiped on the day and kalasha (a vessel of holy water) and diyo (oil lamps) are placed at an altar dedicated for the ritual, before offering prayers.

Like every year, jamara was sown amid a special ceremony at Dashian Ghar in Hamumandhoka, Kathmandu, at 11:46am, the auspicious time for observing Ghatasthapana this year.

Here are some photos of the Ghatasthapana ceremony at Hanumandhoka by Post’s photographer Sanjog Manandhar.