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"Sadbiu Charne" (or Satbij Chharne) is a significant Hindu ritual in Nepal associated with the festival of Bala Chaturdashi. The phrase literally means "scattering seven types of seeds" (Satbiu/Satbij).

Purpose and Significance

The ritual is performed to honor deceased loved ones and ensure peace for their departed souls. Devotees believe that the seeds scattered on Earth will germinate in the other world, ensuring their ancestors never go hungry. The act of scattering seeds and performing prayers is believed to garner merit for the family and society, helping the departed souls find a better place in heaven.

How it is Observed

The main activities of Satbij Chharne take place during the Bala Chaturdashi festival, which falls on the fourteenth day of the waning moon fortnight (Krishna Paksha Chaturdashi) in the month of Mangshir (November/December).

The key rituals include:

Night-long vigil: Bereaved family members, especially those who have lost a relative in the past three years, keep an all-night vigil (known as Jagran or Maha Deep) in the Pashupatinath Temple area and other holy sites, lighting oil lamps and chanting mantras and devotional songs (bhajans).

Holy bath: Early the next morning, devotees take a holy dip in the Bagmati River.

Scattering the seeds: After the purifying bath, participants traverse a prescribed route around the temple vicinity (specifically through the Shleshmantak Forest) and scatter a mixture of seven types of grains, known as Satbij (paddy, barley, sesame, wheat, gram, maize, finger millet, etc.).

The primary location for this ritual is the sacred Pashupatinath Temple complex in Kathmandu, including the Shleshmantak Forest area and the banks of the Bagmati River.