Jamara in Dashai

Plant Jamara Dashain are Jamara which are planted in Dashian, first day of Dashain festival. Plant Jamara in first day of Dashain, called Ghatasthapana.This is known as Ghatasthapana. On this day, a Dashain Ghar or a prayer room, where a jar filled with holy water and other items of puja are placed for worshipping throughout Dashain, is established. It marks the beginning of Dashain. The sacred jar symbolizes Goddess Durga, who is worshipped for nine days. Some seeds of barley or rice or corn are also sown in a dark room asjamara in a container like an earthen pot or a  tapara.  Jamara, which is yellow in colour as it is grown in dark, and considered sacred, is worn on head as Durga Mata’s prasad on the tenth day, Vijaya Dashami.

Without the tika or the jamara, Dashain does not feel like Dashain at all. These red (tika) and yellow-green (jamara) splashes of color are an integral part of the festivalBesides adding color to Dashain, the tika and jamara are of great significance. In addition to their wearers feeling loved and protected by their families and relatives, it is believed that Goddess Durga bestows shakti (power) on them.

The method 

1. Soak barley seeds over night. I used a Jamara mix (barley, corn, wheat) from Nepali grocery shop. 
2. Get a deep bowl or container with a flat bottom. Fill it with a layer of sand about one or two inches thick.
3. Sprinkle a layer of soaked Jamara mix into the container. Make sure it is only one layer of the seeds so they have enough room to sprout.
4. Cover the seeds with thin layer of sand. 
5.  Sprinkle some water in the container. The sand should be moist , not be soggy. 
6. Cover the container and put it in a dark place away from sun.
7. Check the container daily to make sure that the sand is moist.  
8. Hurray, Jamara is ready for Tika.