KATHMANDU, Sept 26: The eighth day of the Bada Dashain was marked on Saturday by celebrating the Mahaasthami festival and worshipping the Goddess Durga throughout the country.
Devotees thronged the temples of goddesses and Dashain ghars to offer sacrifices and recite Durga Saptasati from early in the morning. [break]
There was large crowds of devotees in the temples of goddesses in the Kathmandu valley like Dakshinkali, Guheshwori, Maitidevi, Kalikasthan, Naxal Bhagwati, Bhadrakali, Shobha Bhagwati, Bijeshwori, Indrayani, Raktakali, Bajrayogini, Sankata and Bajrabarahi.
Likewise, devotees thronged Manakamana temple in Gorkha, Gahawamai in Birgunj, Chhinnamasta in Saptari, Rajdevi in Janakpur, Ugratara in Dadeldhura and other temples outside the valley.
At the Dashain ghar at Hanumandhoka, the goddess of power Durga will be offered sacrifices of 54 he-goats and 54 buffalo bulls at midnight on Saturday to celebrate the Kalratri festival.