The first day of "Navaratra" is being marked today by worshipping the deity Shailaputri per Vedic rituals and preparing for Jamara (barley shoots) by sowing maize and barley seeds in a jar filled with soil and cow dung for germination.
Government offices across the country including the Kathmandu Valley that remained closed for the Dashain festival have resumed after a five consecutive-day closure.
