KATHMANDU, Oct 17: Devotees have been thronging the goddess temples and shrines throughout the country on the occasion of the Mahaastami today, the eighth day of the 10 days long Bada Dashain festival, the biggest festival of Nepali. 

Reports have been coming in from various districts of the country of people making beelines at the goddess temples dedicated to Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, Maha Saraswati and other female deities. These goddesses symbolize power, wealth and knowledge, respectively. 

A large crowd of devotees could be seen at the Guheshwari temple, Maitidevi temple, Kalikasthan temple, Bhadrakali temple, Naxal Bhagawati temple, Shova Bhagawati temple, Bijeshwari temple, Indrayani temple, Naradevi temple, Bajra Barahi temple, Raktakali temple, Sankata temple, Bagalamukhi temple, among other shrines, in the federal capital of Kathmandu today, waiting for their turn to pay homage to the goddesses and offer animal sacrifices. 

Similarly, throngs of devotees also visited Dakshinkali temple on the southern rim of Kathmandu, Palanchok Bhagawati temple in Kavre, Chandeshwari temple in Banepa, Gorakhkali temple and Manakamana temple in Gorkha, Chhinnamasta temple in Saptari, Nuwakot Bhairavi temple in Nuwakot, Shaileshwari temple in Doti, Kalika Bhagawati temple in Baglung, Dantakali temple in Dharan, Ugratara temple in Dadeldhura, Siddhakali temple in Bhojpur, Bageshwari temple in Banke and Pathibhara temple in Taplejung. 

 
• devotees
 
• shrines
 
• dashain
 
• festivals