Dashain Festival: Understanding the Greatest Festival of Nepal
Anyone who has visited Nepal during autumn knows this season brings a special kind of magic. Homes are filled with laughter, the streets are decorated with colorful kites, and, to say the least, people seem a little happier.
The reason behind all this is the Dashain festival, which is the largest and most longed-for festival in Nepal.
This occasion is not only a reunion for the families but is also a time to honor and celebrate victory, history, and solidarity. Let us understand what is the essence of Dashain and why it is so cherished.
The Story Behind Dashain: A Victory of Good Over Evil
This way of thinking about Dashain, also known as Vijaya Dashami, is celebrated over fifteen days and denotes the victory of good over evil forces.
The celebration of Dashain has its roots far from the past and concerns mainly the events around the life of the Goddess Durga and her fight with the demon king Mahishasura, who symbolized all that was bad and malevolent.
There is a significance to each day of the festival that geometrically progresses in scale and represents the various phases of the battle against evil forces.
The Activities That Unify All Of Us
Dashain is a time of numerous rites each filled with rich cultural significance and serves to enhance familial and social relations.
The festival starts with the rite of Ghatasthapana, in which a holy pot is set in the prayer room and seeds are planted to represent a fresh start and abundance.
After some days, the sprouts grow in Jamara form which is adorned as a blessing during the grand celebratory day known as Dashain.
The tenth day is also celebrated as one of the major days called Dashami Tika where every member of the family has to meet.
Elderly relatives smear ‘Tika’ a paste made up of rice and yogurt with red dye vermillion mixed into it along with Jamara on the foreheads of the younger people present as a wish for their better prosperity and accomplishments in life.
It is such a wonderful sight when both ends of the generation are present, there’s joy everywhere as children run around, and blessings are given.
The swing is another beloved tradition—the quintessential bamboo swings referred to as “Ping” erected in each nook and corner of the regions of Nepal.
Be it any age, child, or grown-up, the experience of being let loose in the air and swinging to one’s delight while fresh air is hitting the face is simply out of this world.
It also means shedding problems and simple enjoyment.
Dashain Food: An Unforgettable Experience
Dashain is also about food, the heavenly, and delicious home cooked because it has no end. Families make ethnic food such as Sel Roti, (which is sweet made out of rice flour like a Donut) and Goat meat cooked with special spices that make your mouth watering before you take a bite.
Since relatives are coming back home, especially from far distances, this is why the kitchen plays the central role in the movement and also possesses the sweet smell that one associates with home.
It is the loveliness of these dishes that extends beyond the taste; it is about the bonding over these meals, the joy of people being together, and the festival celebrating togetherness.
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The Essence of Giving and Taking
It is during Dashain that one of the most cherished practices of the giving and receiving of new clothes and gifts takes place. Many people view Dashain as the one occasion in the year when they can wear brand new clothes, which is a joy they look forward to the whole year.
Gift-giving is usually seen in families between grownups and children helping reinforce the family ties. It’s not about luxury but the gracious act of giving and accepting the well wishes and blessings from other people.
The Significance of Today’s Dashain
To put it simply, the significance of celebrations such as Dashain in this modern and busy world is to maintain a few moments of hassle and reflect on the positive aspects of life.
It is a beautiful time when the members of a family come together to create and recreate the old traditions and treasure the times spent with everyone for a long period.
Watching small kids playing and running around happily with kites, the warm hug from other loving family members, appreciating the younger ones after receiving Tika from the elders, all these little details contribute to making Dashain special and beautiful.
Dashain not only involved important activities and cultural practices but also carried significant meaning. It iterates the triumph of light over darkness, goodness over evil, and most importantly the bonds that are created and the families that are formed. Urban settings of Kathmandu or lying on a quiet hill in the countryside, when Dashain comes, it arrests you into its warmth.
It makes you all feel part of a culture that has survived a great deal of evolution.
Dashain Has No Boundaries
Though the majority of the festivities will take place in Nepal, Dashain is celebrated wherever there are Nepali communities across the globe.
Living away from home during Dashain may be pleasing and painful at the same time, but pleasant because one gets to celebrate with friends in different countries.
Nonetheless, they still manage to share this occasion with members of their families and friends, keeping away from the cherished landscapes of their country, which enables them to recreate the customs that hold them to their native lands.
Final words
Dashain is not only a festival but also an event that unites people in love, custom, and happiness. This is the time when the entire country of Nepal is filled with cultural richness and hope while reuniting families.
Be it the rituals, the dishes, activities, or even goodwill while offering and taking blessings, all aspects of Dashain depict the magnificence of the Nepali culture that is based on peace, warmth, and togetherness.
Have you experienced Dashain? Let us know in the comments below!
