Happy Dashain
I have been unusually lazy about writing here but I hope to write more from now on. And what better day to start than one of the most auspicious days of the Nepalese calendar. Today is Vijaya Dashami, the most important day of the great Nepalese festival Dashain (called Mohani by Newars). Although primarily a Hindu festival, Nepalese people of all caste, creed and religion take time during Dashain to visit the numerous religious sites around the country, receive blessings from older relatives and relax with friends and families. Vijaya Dashami, also known as Tika (for the vermillion powder-paste put on people’s foreheads by their elders as a symbol of blessing), and called Chaalañ by Newars, is a day symbolic of the triumph of good over evil, the culmination of the fifteen-day Dashain celebration.
For me personally, Dashain has been one of the things I have missed the most since I came to the US. I miss waiting for Ba to finish the almost half-day long rituals, I miss watching Mama nag him to finish quickly so he can take his medicine, I miss having my brother, my sisters and my nephews all around, I miss watching out the window to look at colorful kites dotting the sky and I miss the sense of hubbub and movement that you sense all around you. And although it is probably cliché to say so, I definitely miss the food a lot.
Anyway, in the spirit of the postcards we used exchange among friends during Dashain when we were young, I wish everyone a very Happy Dashain:
This image, from Nepalnews, depicts the Hindu goddess Durga, worshipped during Dashain.
More links:
- Read more about Dashain.
- Story about Vijaya Dashami from Nepalnews.
- “Shopping: The inevitable part of Dashain”