Maha Ashtami rituals repeated as festival calendar brings duplicate dates

Update: Maha Ashtami duties conducted on 1 Kartik must be repeated on 2 Kartik inside Dashain Ghar ceremonial rooms, according to former calendar committee member and head of the Dharmashastra Department at Valmiki Vidyapeeth, Prof Dr Dev Mani Bhattarai. General Ashtami worship took place at Hanumandhoka Palace on 1 Kartik, while Kalaratri worship was designated for the night of 1 Kartik in approved calendars. This year's Navaratri festival requires religious rituals for Maha Ashtami to be carried out over two consecutive days following a calendar alignment issue in Kathmandu. Official guidance indicates that a date expansion led to Ashtami appearing twice during the ceremonial period, spanning both 1 Kartik and 2 Kartik in the national calendar. The Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Bikas Samiti confirmed that traditional actions associated with Maha Ashtami needed to be repeated on the ninth day of Navaratri. Official guidelines were provided to resolve public confusion regarding the duplicate dates and maintain appropriate religious practices. Traditional practices at Hanumandhoka Palace require Mahanavami worship and related ceremonies to be conducted immediately on the day following Maha Ashtami rituals. Historical customs at the palace also involve offering 108 animal sacrifices alongside night prayers during the observances.