Dashain

Today marks the beginning of Dashain, the longest and most important Hindu festival! Celebrated in Nepal, India, Bhutan, and Myanmar, this 15 day festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil: keep reading to see why.

This year Dashain begins today, September 21st, and ends October 5th: the dates of Dashain vary from year to year as they are based on the lunar calendar. Because Dashain is the most important Nepali festival, Nepali’s all over Nepal (and the world) return to their home villages to celebrate with their families, much like we do for Christmas! The most important days of Dashain are the 1st, 7th-10th, and the 15th: I will be blogging about the traditions and meanings of each day of Dashain, so stay tuned!

Although this is a general celebration of the gods over the demons, Dashain refers to two specific stories of triumph, which turn us to Hindu tradition and scriptures to understand. According to the Ramayana, an ancient Indian epic poem (and one of the lengthiest in world literature), the god/crown prince Ramayana is exiled. During his wanderings, Ramayana’s wife, Sita, is captured by the demon king Ravana. As the armies of Ramayana and Ravana rage, Ramayana succeeds in killing Ravana and rescuing his wife. Later, he returns to his kingdom and is crowned king.

The second story is found in the Devi Mahatmya and portrays an epic battle between good and evil, the gods and the demons. When the offspring of a demon and a waterbuffalo, Mahishasura, follows in the steps of the other demons and wages war with the gods, he seeks the gift of immortality from Brahma by offering gifts and worship. Instead of immortality, Brahma grants Mahishasura a boon: he can only die by the hand of a woman. Emboldened, Mahishasura attacks the gods with renewed energy. The Hindu trinity of Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu combine to create the goddess Durga. When she rides into battle on a lion and severs Mahishasura’s head, it is said that order was restored to the world.

Sounds a lot like Greek and Roman mythology, doesn’t it?! I certainly find it as interesting! So how do the Nepalese celebrate? They like to:

  • Take blessings from their elders
  • Hang out with family
  • Forget their worries because good has triumphed over evil!
  • Fly kites
  • Swing on Bamboo Swings – according to Hindu tradition, followers should swing at least once during Dashain. It is believed that as one leaves the ground, their worries are left behind and they are filled with new hope
  • Listen to Special Music – called Mal Shree Dhun

As we woke up to Dashain this morning, I was surprised at the peaceful scene I witnessed. A gentle rain greeted my ears, as I hugged by covers tighter. I was actually chilled! “The holiday season is upon us!” I joyfully thought to myself. Then, I noticed something else: quiet. Where was the constant construction noise? The barking dogs? The loud Hindi music? All was quiet in the city, a city on holiday, where even the poorest get some time off. After enjoying a cup of tea, our landlady summoned us to share a meal with them – they were having goat, the most popular meat during Dashain. As Dashain falls right after harvest season, Nepali homes are filled with abundance, allowing them to purchase new clothes, feast with family and friends, and eat meat everyday (usually a once-a-week occurrence)! Thousands of sheep, goats, ducks, chicken and water buffalo are sacrificed and eaten during Dashain in worship of the goddess Durga, but today’s goat meat simply purchased from a shop. As I chewed into the flubbery meat, it hit me all at once – I was eating goat intestines. Upon asking, we were told it was goat intestine and stomach, something that made our meal a little more difficult to enjoy. The taste, however, was quiet nice, and, as always, our hosts were more than understanding.

Our landlady’s children just left to go play cards at a friend’s house, as they are all on holiday for a month. Before they left for cards, I was given my first Dashain gift – a beautiful anklet! What I am looking forward to this holiday season is more meals together, playing cards, cooking special foods, and enjoying a more peaceful side of life.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayana

http://www.weallnepali.com/nepali-festivals/dashain

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahishasura

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_goddess#Hinduism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devi_Mahatmya

http://www.visitnepal.com/nepal_information/dashain.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashain