The most common Dashain wish in Nepali is दशैंको हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना (Dashain ko hardik mangalmaya shubhakamana) — "heartfelt and auspicious wishes for Dashain". But the message you send an elder is not the message you send a school friend, and neither is the one your company posts on Facebook. Below are forty messages sorted by recipient, plus the 2026 dates, the traditional tika shloka, captions for social posts, and the register rules that decide which one is right.
1. When Is Dashain 2026?
Dashain follows the lunar calendar, so the dates move every year. In 2026 (2083 BS) the festival runs from Sunday 11 October to Sunday 25 October, with Vijaya Dashami — tika day — falling on Wednesday 21 October 2026.
| Day | Ritual | Date (2026) | Nepali Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ghatasthapana | Sunday 11 October | Ashwin 25 |
| 1–9 | Navaratri | 11–20 October | Ashwin 25 – Kartik 3 |
| 7 | Fulpati | Saturday 17 October | Ashwin 31 |
| 8 | Maha Ashtami | Sunday 18 October | Kartik 1 |
| 9 | Maha Navami | Monday 19 / Tuesday 20 October* | Kartik 2–3 |
| 10 | Vijaya Dashami (Tika) | Wednesday 21 October | Kartik 4 |
| 15 | Kojagrat Purnima | Sunday 25 October | Kartik 8 |
*Published calendars differ on whether Maha Navami falls on 19 or 20 October 2026, because of how the tithi is reckoned. Confirm against the official Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Samiti calendar before printing dates on cards or scheduling posts.
Send your wishes on the morning of Vijaya Dashami, or the evening before. Messages sent during the tika muhurat itself often go unread — everyone is standing in the queue at their elders' house with red rice on their forehead and no free hand for a phone.
2. How to Say "Happy Dashain" in Nepali
There is no word-for-word translation of "Happy Dashain". Nepali uses a wish construction rather than an adjective — literally "good wishes of Dashain" rather than "happy Dashain":
| English | Nepali | Romanised | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Happy Dashain | दशैंको शुभकामना | Dashain ko shubhakamana | Good wishes of Dashain |
| Happy Dashain (warmer) | दशैंको हार्दिक शुभकामना | Dashain ko hardik shubhakamana | Heartfelt good wishes of Dashain |
| Happy Dashain (fullest, most formal) | दशैंको हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना | Dashain ko hardik mangalmaya shubhakamana | Heartfelt, auspicious good wishes of Dashain |
| Happy Vijaya Dashami | शुभ विजयादशमी | Shubha Vijayadashami | Auspicious Vijaya Dashami |
| Happy Bada Dashain | बडा दशैंको शुभकामना | Bada Dashain ko shubhakamana | Good wishes of the Great Dashain |
You will see shubhakamana, subhakamana and suvakamana used online. All three romanise the same Nepali word, शुभकामना. The Devanagari spelling is the one that is correct — the romanisation is only a convention, and none of the variants is wrong in a text message.
3. Short Dashain Wishes (1–8)
Under 100 characters each. These fit a single SMS or Viber message and work as a text overlay on a photo.
| # | Nepali | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | दशैंको शुभकामना! | Dashain ko shubhakamana! | Happy Dashain! |
| 2 | बडा दशैंको हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना! | Bada Dashain ko hardik mangalmaya shubhakamana! | Heartfelt and auspicious wishes for Bada Dashain! |
| 3 | विजयादशमीको उपलक्ष्यमा हार्दिक शुभकामना! | Vijayadashami ko upalakshyama hardik shubhakamana! | Warm wishes on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami! |
| 4 | शुभ दशैं! तपाईंको जीवन सुख र समृद्धिले भरियोस्। | Shubha Dashain! Tapaaī ko jiwan sukha ra samriddhi le bhariyos. | Happy Dashain! May your life be filled with happiness and prosperity. |
| 5 | यो दशैंले तपाईंको घरमा खुसी र सन्तोष ल्याओस्। | Yo Dashain le tapaaī ko ghar ma khusi ra santosh lyaos. | May this Dashain bring joy and contentment to your home. |
| 6 | दुर्गा माताको आशीर्वाद सधैं तपाईंमाथि रहोस्। | Durga Mata ko ashirwad sadhain tapaaī mathi rahos. | May the blessings of Goddess Durga always be upon you. |
| 7 | असत्यमाथि सत्यको विजय होस् — शुभ विजयादशमी! | Asatya mathi satya ko vijaya hos — Shubha Vijayadashami! | May truth triumph over untruth — Happy Vijaya Dashami! |
| 8 | रातो टीका, पहेँलो जमरा र न्यानो माया — शुभ दशैं! | Rato tika, pahelo jamara ra nyano maya — Shubha Dashain! | Red tika, golden jamara and warm love — Happy Dashain! |
4. Heart-Touching Wishes for Family and Elders (9–15)
Use these when you are the younger person. Note the grammar: they ask for a blessing rather than give one, and they all use the high register तपाईं or the even more deferential हजुर.
| # | Nepali | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | बडाबडीको आशीर्वाद र दशैंको टीकाले तपाईंको जीवन सधैं उज्यालो रहोस्। | Badabadi ko ashirwad ra Dashain ko tika le tapaaī ko jiwan sadhain ujyalo rahos. | May the blessings of your elders and the Dashain tika keep your life forever bright. |
| 10 | आमाबुबाको आशीर्वाद नै संसारको सबैभन्दा ठूलो सम्पत्ति हो। शुभ दशैं! | Ama-buba ko ashirwad nai sansar ko sabaibhanda thulo sampatti ho. Shubha Dashain! | A parent's blessing is the greatest wealth in the world. Happy Dashain! |
| 11 | यो दशैंमा परिवारको माया, हाँसो र न्यानोपन सधैं रहोस्। | Yo Dashain ma pariwar ko maya, hanso ra nyanopan sadhain rahos. | May the love, laughter and warmth of family stay with you this Dashain. |
| 12 | तपाईंलाई दीर्घायु, सुस्वास्थ्य र अपार खुसीको कामना गर्दछु। शुभ विजयादशमी! | Tapaaī lai dirghayu, suswasthya ra apar khusi ko kamana gardachhu. Shubha Vijayadashami! | I wish you long life, good health and boundless happiness. Happy Vijaya Dashami! |
| 13 | जमरा जस्तै तपाईंको जीवन पनि हरियाली र समृद्धिले भरियोस्। | Jamara jastai tapaaī ko jiwan pani hariyali ra samriddhi le bhariyos. | Like the jamara, may your life also flourish green and prosperous. |
| 14 | यस पावन अवसरमा हजुरहरूको आशीर्वादको भागी बनूँ — शुभ दशैं! | Yas pawan awasar ma hajur haru ko ashirwad ko bhagi banun — Shubha Dashain! | On this sacred occasion, may I be worthy of your blessings — Happy Dashain! |
| 15 | दशैंको टीका लगाउन घर फर्कने रहर सबैको पूरा होस्। | Dashain ko tika lagauna ghar pharkane rahar sabai ko pura hos. | May everyone who longs to go home for tika be able to. |
Want to write your own wishes, not just copy ours?
The gap between timi and tapaaī is the gap between a warm message and an awkward one. ECS teaches Nepali register and honorifics in the context of real conversation, with native instructors who will tell you when you have got it wrong.
Book a Free Trial Lesson →5. Dashain Wishes for Friends (16–22)
Informal register, using timi rather than tapaaī. These are the ones that get screenshotted and forwarded.
| # | Nepali | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | साथी, यो दशैंमा खसीको मासु, सेलरोटी र मीठो सम्झनाले पेट र मन दुवै भरियोस्! | Sathi, yo Dashain ma khasi ko masu, selroti ra mitho samjhana le pet ra man duwai bhariyos! | Friend, may mutton, selroti and sweet memories fill both your stomach and your heart this Dashain! |
| 17 | लिंगे पिङ, चङ्गा र दक्षिणा — दशैं आइसक्यो, तयार भइहाल! | Linge ping, changa ra dakshina — Dashain aisakyo, tayar bhaihal! | Bamboo swings, kites and dakshina — Dashain is here, get ready! |
| 18 | तिमी जस्तो साथी पाउनु नै मेरो जीवनको सबैभन्दा ठूलो दक्षिणा हो। शुभ दशैं! | Timi jasto sathi paunu nai mero jiwan ko sabaibhanda thulo dakshina ho. Shubha Dashain! | Having a friend like you is the biggest dakshina of my life. Happy Dashain! |
| 19 | टाढा भए पनि मन सँगै छ। शुभ दशैं, साथी! | Tadha bhaye pani man sangai chha. Shubha Dashain, sathi! | Even far apart, my heart is with you. Happy Dashain, friend! |
| 20 | यो दशैंमा सबै दुःख हराओस्, खुसी मात्र बाँकी रहोस्। | Yo Dashain ma sabai dukha haraos, khusi matra banki rahos. | May every sorrow disappear this Dashain and only joy remain. |
| 21 | दशैंको रमझम तिम्रो जीवनमा वर्षभरि रहोस्। | Dashain ko ramjham timro jiwan ma barsha bhari rahos. | May the festivity of Dashain stay in your life all year round. |
| 22 | हाम्रो साथ यो जमरा जस्तै हरियो रहोस् — शुभ विजयादशमी! | Hamro sath yo jamara jastai hariyo rahos — Shubha Vijayadashami! | May our friendship stay as green as this jamara — Happy Vijaya Dashami! |
6. Formal Wishes for Clients, Colleagues and Business (23–28)
Written in the plural-honorific register used in company greetings, newspaper notices and email signatures. Note the verb ending -गर्दछौं (-gardachhau) — the institutional "we" rather than a personal "I".
| # | Nepali | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | यस विजयादशमीको पावन अवसरमा तपाईं र तपाईंको परिवारमा सुख, शान्ति, समृद्धि र दीर्घायुको हार्दिक कामना गर्दछौं। | Yas Vijayadashami ko pawan awasar ma tapaaī ra tapaaī ko pariwar ma sukha, shanti, samriddhi ra dirghayu ko hardik kamana gardachhau. | On this sacred occasion of Vijaya Dashami, we sincerely wish you and your family happiness, peace, prosperity and long life. |
| 24 | हाम्रा सम्पूर्ण ग्राहक, सहकर्मी तथा शुभचिन्तकहरूमा दशैंको हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना व्यक्त गर्दछौं। | Hamra sampurna grahak, sahakarmi tatha shubhachintak haru ma Dashain ko hardik mangalmaya shubhakamana vyakta gardachhau. | We extend heartfelt and auspicious Dashain wishes to all our clients, colleagues and well-wishers. |
| 25 | विगतमा जस्तै आगामी दिनमा पनि तपाईंको साथ र सहयोग रहिरहने अपेक्षा गर्दै — शुभ दशैं! | Vigat ma jastai aagami din ma pani tapaaī ko sath ra sahayog rahirahane apeksha gardai — Shubha Dashain! | Hoping for your continued support in the days ahead as in the past — Happy Dashain! |
| 26 | यस दशैंले तपाईंको व्यवसायमा नयाँ उचाइ र निरन्तर प्रगति ल्याओस्। | Yas Dashain le tapaaī ko vyawasaya ma nayan uchai ra nirantar pragati lyaos. | May this Dashain bring new heights and continued progress to your business. |
| 27 | सम्पूर्ण नेपाली दाजुभाइ तथा दिदीबहिनीहरूमा विजयादशमीको हार्दिक शुभकामना! | Sampurna Nepali dajubhai tatha didibahini haru ma Vijayadashami ko hardik shubhakamana! | Heartfelt Vijaya Dashami wishes to all Nepali brothers and sisters! |
| 28 | दशैंको खुसी तपाईंको कार्यालय, घर र मनसम्म पुगोस्। | Dashain ko khusi tapaaī ko karyalaya, ghar ra man samma pugos. | May the joy of Dashain reach your office, your home and your heart. |
7. Wishes for Nepalis Living Abroad (29–33)
For the friend on a shift in Dubai, the student in Sydney, the family in Texas — the people for whom Dashain is a video call at an awkward hour.
| # | Nepali | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | घरबाट टाढा भए पनि दशैंको न्यानोपन तपाईंसँगै रहोस्। | Ghar bata tadha bhaye pani Dashain ko nyanopan tapaaī sangai rahos. | Though you are far from home, may the warmth of Dashain stay with you. |
| 30 | देश जहाँसुकै होस्, दशैं मनमै हुन्छ। विदेशमा रहनुभएका सम्पूर्ण नेपालीलाई शुभकामना! | Desh jahansukai hos, Dashain man mai huncha. Videsh ma rahanubhayeka sampurna Nepali lai shubhakamana! | Whatever country you are in, Dashain lives in the heart. Wishes to every Nepali abroad! |
| 31 | भिडियो कलको टीका पनि उत्तिकै न्यानो हुन्छ। शुभ दशैं! | Video call ko tika pani uttikai nyano huncha. Shubha Dashain! | A tika over a video call is just as warm. Happy Dashain! |
| 32 | यो दशैं तपाईंलाई आफ्नो माटो, आफ्नो घर र आफ्नो मान्छे सम्झाओस्। | Yo Dashain tapaaī lai aafno mato, aafno ghar ra aafno manche samjhaos. | May this Dashain remind you of your soil, your home and your people. |
| 33 | अर्को दशैंमा भेट होस् — घरमै, सँगै, मुस्कानसहित। | Arko Dashain ma bhet hos — ghar mai, sangai, muskan sahit. | May we meet next Dashain — at home, together, smiling. |
8. Funny Dashain Wishes (34–37)
Light-hearted, for close friends and cousins only. Judge your audience — these use the informal imperative and would land badly with an elder.
| # | Nepali | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | दशैं आयो, हजुरहरूको दक्षिणा बजेट पनि बढाउनुहोला! | Dashain aayo, hajur haru ko dakshina budget pani badhaunuhola! | Dashain is here — please increase your dakshina budget too! |
| 35 | टीका सानो लगाइदिनू, तर दक्षिणा ठूलो दिनू! शुभ दशैं! | Tika sano lagaidinu, tara dakshina thulo dinu! Shubha Dashain! | Keep the tika small but make the dakshina big! Happy Dashain! |
| 36 | यो दशैंमा जुवा नखेल्ने संकल्प गरौँ — कम्तीमा पहिलो दिन त! | Yo Dashain ma juwa nakhelne sankalpa garaun — kamtima pahilo din ta! | Let us resolve not to gamble this Dashain — at least on day one! |
| 37 | खसीको मासु र सेलरोटीले तौल बढ्यो भने दोष दशैंलाई नदिनू! | Khasi ko masu ra selroti le taul badhyo bhane dosh Dashain lai nadinu! | If mutton and selroti add a few kilos, do not blame Dashain! |
9. Traditional Tika Blessings (38–40)
These are not messages to type — they are recited aloud. The first two are Sanskrit shlokas, not Nepali, and are spoken by the elder while applying tika.
38. The Dashain Tika Shloka
ऐश्वर्यं नहुषे गतिश्च पवने मानं च दुर्योधने॥
शौर्यं शान्तनवे बलं हलधरे सत्यं च कुन्तीसुते।
विज्ञानं विदुरे भवन्तु भवतां कीर्तिश्च नारायणे॥
Aishwaryam Nahushe gatishcha Pawane manam cha Duryodhane,
Shauryam Shantanave balam Haladhare satyam cha Kuntisute,
Vigyanam Vidure bhavantu bhavatam kirtishcha Narayane.
Meaning: May you have the long life of Ashwatthama, the wealth of King Dashrath, the power over enemies of Rama, the sovereignty of Nahusha, the swiftness of Hanuman, the dignity of Duryodhana, the valour of Bhishma, the strength of Balaram, the truthfulness of Yudhishthir, the wisdom of Vidur, and the fame of Narayan.
39. The Durga Invocation
दुर्गा क्षमा शिवा धात्री स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तु ते॥
Durga kshama shiva dhatri swaha swadha namostu te.
Meaning: Salutations to you, O Goddess, known by the names Jayanti, Mangala, Kali, Bhadrakali, Kapalini, Durga, Kshama, Shiva, Dhatri, Swaha and Swadha.
40. A Blessing to Give (Elder to Younger)
Meaning: May Goddess Durga Bhawani grant you happiness, peace, wealth and victory. May you always be happy.
10. Dashain Captions for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok
Shorter than wishes, and written to sit under a photo rather than be sent to a person. A caption describes; a wish addresses.
| Nepali | Romanised | English |
|---|---|---|
| टीका, जमरा र माया ❤️ | Tika, jamara ra maya | Tika, jamara and love |
| आशीर्वाद लिने बेला 🙏 | Ashirwad line bela | Time to receive blessings |
| वर्षमा एक पटक, तर वर्षभरिको खुसी | Barsha ma ek patak, tara barsha bhari ko khusi | Once a year, but joy for the whole year |
| घर फर्किएँ 🏠 | Ghar pharkiyen | I'm home |
| नयाँ लुगा, पुरानो माया | Nayan luga, purano maya | New clothes, old love |
| दशैं मोड अन ✨ | Dashain mode on | Dashain mode on |
11. Which Dashain Wish Should You Send?
Register is the whole game. Sending a timi message to your father-in-law is the Dashain equivalent of calling your boss by a nickname. Use this table to match the message to the person:
| If You Are Writing To… | Use | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Grandparents, parents, in-laws | Wishes 9–15 | तपाईं / हजुर — ask for blessing |
| A close friend or cousin | Wishes 16–22, 34–37 | तिमी — informal |
| Your boss or a client | Wishes 23–28 | तपाईं, plural verb, no emoji |
| A colleague you know well | Wishes 4–8 | तपाईं — one emoji is fine |
| Family abroad | Wishes 29–33 | तपाईं / तिमी, depending on age |
| A younger relative | Wish 40 | Give the blessing, do not ask for one |
| A company-wide post | Wishes 24, 27 | Plural, neutral, no religious assumption |
12. Dashain Glossary — The Words Inside These Wishes
Almost every wish above recycles the same dozen nouns. Learn them and the messages stop being blocks of script and start being sentences you can take apart:
| Nepali | Romanised | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| शुभकामना | shubhakamana | Good wishes; the standard word for a festival greeting |
| टीका | tika | Mixture of rice, yoghurt and vermilion applied to the forehead |
| जमरा | jamara | Barley shoots sown at Ghatasthapana, grown in darkness so they turn golden |
| दक्षिणा | dakshina | Cash gift handed over with the tika blessing |
| आशीर्वाद | ashirwad | Blessing from an elder |
| घटस्थापना | Ghatasthapana | Day 1 — the kalash is installed and jamara sown |
| फूलपाती | Fulpati | Day 7 — sacred plants carried from Gorkha to Kathmandu |
| लिंगे पिङ | linge ping | Tall bamboo swing built in villages for Dashain |
| चङ्गा | changa | Kite; kite-flying peaks during Dashain |
| सेलरोटी | selroti | Ring-shaped sweet rice bread |
| कोजाग्रत पूर्णिमा | Kojagrat Purnima | Day 15 — full moon, Lakshmi puja, close of the festival |
13. Dashain vs Dussehra — What Is the Difference?
They mark the same mythological victory but are not the same festival in practice, and the greetings are not interchangeable.
| Dashain (Nepal) | Dussehra (India) | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 15 days | Mostly 1 day at the close of Navratri |
| Peak day | Vijaya Dashami — tika and jamara | Vijaya Dashami — Ravan Dahan |
| Central ritual | Elders apply tika and jamara to juniors | Burning of Ravana effigies |
| Deity focus | Durga (Nava Durga) | Durga and Rama, region-dependent |
| Greeting | दशैंको शुभकामना | विजयादशमी की शुभकामनाएँ |
In 2026 the dates diverge too: Dussehra falls on 20 October across much of India, while Nepal's Vijaya Dashami tika is on 21 October.
14. Common Mistakes When Sending Dashain Wishes
These are the five errors that make an otherwise warm message land awkwardly:
| Mistake | Wrong | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informal pronoun with an elder | Timi lai Dashain ko shubhakamana | Tapaaī lai Dashain ko shubhakamana | Elders always take the high register |
| Giving a blessing upward | Ma tapaaī lai ashirwad dinchhu | Hajur ko ashirwad paun | Juniors request blessings, they do not grant them |
| Vijaya Dashami used too early | Shubha Vijayadashami — sent on day 2 | Dashain ko shubhakamana | Vijaya Dashami belongs to day 10 onward |
| Personal “I” in a company notice | Ma kamana gardachhu | Hami kamana gardachhau | Institutional greetings use the plural |
| Sending only romanised text | Dashain ko subhakamana | दशैंको शुभकामना | Nepali readers read Devanagari faster |
None of these mistakes will offend a Nepali friend who knows you are learning. The effort of sending anything in Nepali at all is noticed far more than the register you picked — and if you get it wrong, you will be corrected warmly and then fed.
Summary: 10 Rules for Sending Dashain Wishes
Frequently Asked Questions About Dashain Wishes
How do you say “Happy Dashain” in Nepali?
Say दशैंको शुभकामना (Dashain ko shubhakamana). For a warmer version, add hardik: दशैंको हार्दिक शुभकामना. The fullest formal version, used in printed cards and company notices, is दशैंको हार्दिक मंगलमय शुभकामना.
What is the difference between Dashain and Vijaya Dashami?
Dashain is the whole 15-day festival. Vijaya Dashami is day 10 of it — the tika day, when elders apply tika and jamara and give dakshina. You can wish someone “Happy Dashain” across the fortnight, but “Shubha Vijayadashami” belongs to day 10 onward.
When should I send Dashain wishes in 2026?
Send general wishes from Ghatasthapana on 11 October 2026. Send tika-day wishes on the morning of Wednesday 21 October 2026, before the muhurat, or the evening of 20 October. Messages arriving mid-ceremony tend to go unanswered.
What is the mantra recited during Dashain tika?
The traditional Sanskrit shloka begins आयु द्रोणसुते श्रियं दशरथे and asks that the recipient receive the long life, wealth, valour, wisdom and fame of eleven figures from the Mahabharata and Ramayana. The full four-line text and its meaning are in section 9 above.
Is it “shubhakamana” or “subhakamana”?
Both are romanisations of the same Nepali word, शुभकामना. Shubhakamana reflects the Devanagari more accurately because the word begins with श (sha), not स (sa). You will also see suvakamana, which is a phonetic spelling. None of them is wrong in a text message.
What do you reply when someone wishes you Happy Dashain?
Reply तपाईंलाई पनि दशैंको शुभकामना! (Tapaaī lai pani Dashain ko shubhakamana!) — “Happy Dashain to you too!” To an elder, add हजुरको आशीर्वाद पाऊँ (Hajur ko ashirwad paun) — “may I have your blessing”.
Can I send Dashain wishes to a non-Hindu Nepali friend?
Yes. Dashain is a national holiday and a family reunion season as much as a religious one, and many Nepalis of other faiths mark it socially. Choose a neutral message — wishes 4, 5, 20, 21 or 28 — rather than one invoking Durga.
What is jamara and why does it appear in so many wishes?
Jamara is barley sown on Ghatasthapana and grown in a dark room so the shoots come up pale gold. It is placed behind the ear with the tika. Because it grows quickly from a single seed, Nepali wishes use it as a stock metaphor for growth and prosperity.
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