Dashain- Great Nepalese Festival

Nepal

The Himabatkhand covers the land of Brahmaputra in the east, Hindukush in the west, Kailash Mansarovar in the north and the Ganga River in the south. In the past, Nepal was bigger than what it is today. 



Kailash Mansarovar

This region is the origin of the Vedas, Upanishads, Purans and Nitishastra. As the region has been irrigated by rivers originating in the Himalaya, several saints of different ethnicity have enriched it with their knowledge. In Nepal, none of the cultures are limited to a caste or race. Almost all Nepalese people put a Tika on their forehead. The Hindu and Buddhist festivals preach that all the people of the world are our friends. Fraternity and honesty always have been propounded by Hindus and Buddhists.

Common culture

Among the festivals celebrated here, Dashain (Vijaya Dashami) is a traditional cultural festivity. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in Nepalese society. The 15 days of celebration occur from the bright lunar fortnight and ends on the day of the full moon (Kojagrat Purnima). Before Prithvi Narayan Shah (1868) united Nepal, the festivals of Dashain and Tihar were revered as a common culture by all the castes. After he created a modern Nepal, a new tradition was set by bringing the Phulpati and Jamara to Kathmandu from the Gorakhkali Temple by a Magar priest.

Happy Dashain

 

People from both the Hindu and Buddha religions accept tika from senior family members in order of precedence after worshipping the main gate on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami. Among all religions of the world, the Hindu religion is considered the most liberal. According to renowned philosopher Voltaire, Hinduism is the best gift of the East to the West. Similarly, George Bernard Shaw, Irish litterateur, has said: "Hindu religion is the most important and the most liberal religions of the world."

 

Jamara and Tika

Dashain and Tihar are common festivals of all Hindus and Buddhists. But some anti-Hindus are creating confusion among the Nepalese castes. Currently, the followers of secularism are ruling Nepal. Patriotic people are pondering how to save the identity of our traditional cultures. The identity of a nation fades away when its cultural beliefs are destroyed. On the occasion of Vijaya Dashami, we pray to Goddess Nava Durga Bhawani to bring prosperity to the Nepalese people living all around the world. Also, all the political parties must work to save the national traditions and culture. A country’s existence can gradually be eroded by destroying its traditional faiths and cultural beliefs.

 

If anyone wants the assurance of integrity and lasting peace in this country, one must not be confused about the country’s centuries-old customs and religion. Dashain (worshipping Goddess Bhagawati for power) and Tihar (worshipping Goddess Lakshmi for wealth) is a knot that binds the Nepali people. Nepalese residing outside the nation take the festival as the identity of the Gorkhali Nepali people regardless of their caste, and they exchange greetings and celebrate the festival in perfect cultural harmony.

Tihar Mandala

 

In Darjeeling, Sikkim, Duars, Assam and Dehradun and Bhutan, Dashain and Tihar are taken as an occasion of the Gorkhas’ unity. Hindus in India, Burma, Sri Lanka, Indonesia as well as other nations around the globe celebrate Dashain in their own ways. Dashain is a common festival of

the poor and rich. Tika is placed on the forehead by seniors. The ritual of placing the tika starts from Vijaya Dashami and lasts till the full moon day with much zeal and merriment.

 

Patan Festival

Tika is received from the father and mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, teachers and other revered senior members with blessings. Dashain is also important to Indian Hindus who, however, celebrate the occasion without receiving the tika.

 

Dashain is celebrated as a symbol of power. According to Hindu mythology, an ogre ‘Rakshes’ (monster) by the name of Mahisasur had caused pain and suffering amongst humans. Then Goddess Durga Bhawani killed the monster to relieve the people of his terror.

 

Goddess Durga - victory of truth over evil

Dashain is a festival symbolising the victory of truth over evil. The worshipping of Navadurga Bhawani during the Nawaratra (nine nights of worship) from Ghatasthapana is an ancient tradition. It is mentioned in the Devi-Puran: Ram had proposed launching a war against Ravan in Lanka on the occasion of Vijaya Dashmi on Ashwin Shukla Nawaratri. Similarly, it is mentioned in the Padma Puran that Rama had killed Ravan on the day of Chaitra Shukla Chaturdashi.

 

Cultural value

Nepalese who have converted to the Christian faith have been creating illusions in the people, urging the people to boycott the great festival. However, some Christians celebrate Dashain for its cultural value without the tika. There have been efforts to pollute the festival by giving it a political color by the parties. Some people belonging to the indigenous groups have been boycotting the Dashain festival. But indigenous people living abroad are lashing out at this trend. Says Prof. Gopinarayan Pradhan of Darjeeling: "The attempt to reduce the extensive Nepali identity to class-based identity is sad."

 

People observe the tika receiving ceremony as an opportunity to resume broken relations with their relatives and friends. Those who have chosen to boycott the festival are making a mistake. Dashain is an immense opportunity for the relatives living abroad to come together. In reality, Dashain has less to do with religion; it is a traditional cultural belief. It should be kept alive.

 

By Dirgha Raj Prasai

Email:dirgharajprasai@gmail.com

 

 

MORE ABOUT DASHAIN

Dashain is the 15-day national festival of Nepal. It is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the globe. Dashain is also shared by people from Bhutan, and many others nearby and living abroad. Dashain is about forgiveness and renewing family and community ties.

The festival falls around September–October, before the rice harvest. Throughout the kingdom the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual of holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood. This festival is also known for emphasis on family gatherings, as well as on a renewal of community ties. People of all ages, young to old, take this festival as good and holy day to bless and wish good to their relatives and friends. People return from all parts of the world, as well as different parts of the country, to celebrate together. All the government offices or schools and other offices remain closed during the festival period.

Significance 

Dasain essentially commemorates the victories of the god and goddesses over the demons. One reason it is celebrated is because lord Ram was successfully able to execute the Ravana, the king of demons during his time. It is believed that lord Ram was able to win the battle only because goddess Durga blessed him. However the main celebration symbolizes the victory of the good over the evil. Goddess Durga massacred Mahishasura, the demon who had created havoc and terror in the dev-lok (the world of gods). The first nine days of Dasain symbolizes the battle, which took place between goddess Durga and the demon Mahishasura. The tenth day is the day when Durga finally defeated Mahishasura. Goddess Durga is worshipped throughout the kingdom as divine mother goddess.

Throughout the festival people pay homage to the various forms of Durga. If she is properly worshiped and pleased then it is considered that good luck is bound to happen. However, if the goddess is angered through negligence then misfortunes are said to happen. The festival reminds everyone of the universal principles of truth, justice and virtue that must ultimately prevail over deception, injustice and wickedness.

Ghatasthapana 

Ghatasthapana marks the beginning of Dasain. It literally means installing a pot, which symbolizes Goddess Shakti. It falls on Aswin Shukla Pratipada, the first day of the bright half of the lunar calendar in the month of Ashvin. On this day the kalasha is filled with holy water and covered with cowdung on to which barley seeds are shown. Subsequently, the kalasha is put in the center of a rectangular sand block. The remaining bed of sand is also seeded with grains. The priest then starts the puja by calling goddess Durga to bless the vessel with her presence. This ritual is performed at a certain auspicious time that is determined by the astrologers. Goddess Shakti is believed to reside in the Kalash vessel during the Navratri period.

The room where all this is done is known as the ‘Dasain Ghar’. Generally, outsiders and women are not allowed to enter the Dasain Ghar. A male family member worships the Kalasha twice every day, once in the morning and then in the evening. It is kept under direct sunlight and holy water is offered to it every day, so that by the tenth day of the festival the seed will have grown to five or six inches long yellow grass. This sacred grass is known as ‘Jamara’. These rituals continue till the seventh day.

Fulpati 

After Ghatasthapana, Fulpati is celebrated as one of the major days of dashain. The seventh day is known as ‘Fulpati’. On this day the jamara to be used by the royal family is brought from Gorkha palace, their ancestral house. The Fulpati (jamara and the other items that is necessary for tika) is brought after a three day walk from Gorkha district which is about hundred and sixty nine kilometers away from the valley of Kathmandu. A parade is held in the Tundikhel ground in Kathmandu.

The Brahmans bring the royal Kalasha, banana stalks, jamara and the sugar cane tied with red cloth from Gorkha which is led by the military platoon of the royal priest. Hundreds of government officials gather in the Tundikhel grounds in conventional formal dress to witness the event. The king observes the ceremony in Tundikhel while the fulpati parade is headed towards the old royal palace. Then there is a majestic display of the Nepalese Army along with a firing that continues for ten to fifteen minutes in the honor of fulpati. The Fulpati is taken to the Hanuman Dhoka Royal palace by the time the occasion ends in Tundikhel.

However, from the year since the monarchy system was removed from the country the tradition or the two-century old tradition is broken down and the holy offering of fulpati goes to the residence of Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has taken over the king's social and religious roles after the fall of the royal government, as he is believed to be ruling the nation and not the king.

Maha Asthami

The eighth day is called the 'Maha Asthami'. This is the day when the most demonic of Goddess Durga’s manifestations, the bloodthirsty Kali, is appeased through the sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of buffaloes, goats, pigeons and ducks in temples throughout the nation. Blood, symbolic for its fertility, is offered to the Goddesses. Appropriately enough, the night of this day is called Kal Ratri (Black Night). It is also the norm for buffaloes to be sacrificed in the courtyards of all the land revenue offices in the country on this day. The old palace in Basantapur Hanuman Dhoka, is active throughout the night with worships and sacrifices in almost every courtyard. On the mid-night of the very day the Dasain Ghar, a total of 54 buffaloes and 54 goats are sacrificed in observance of the rites. After the offering of the blood, the meat is taken home and cooked as "prasad", or food blessed by divinity. This food is offered, in tiny leaf plates, to the household Gods, and then distributed amongst the family. Eating this food is thought to be auspicious. While the puja is being carried out great feasts are held in the homes of common people.

Maha Navami 

The ninth day is called Maha-navami which means the great ninth day. This day is the last day of Navarati. Ceremonies and rituals reach the peak on this day. On this day official military ritual killings are held in the ‘Kot’ courtyard of the Hanuman Dhoka royal palace. On this occasion, the state offers the sacrifices of buffaloes under the gunfire salutes. This day is also known as the demon-hunting day because members of the defeated demon army try to save themselves hiding in the bodies of animals and fowls.

On this day the Vishwakarma, the god of creativeness is also worshipped. Artisans, craftsmen, traders, and mechanics worship and offer animal and fowl blood to their tools, equipment, and vehicles. This is done to keep the means of work happy. It is believed that worshipping the vehicles on this day avoids accidents for the year.

The Taleju Temple gates are open for the public on only this day of the year. Thousands of devotees go and pay respect to the goddess this day. The temple is filled with devotees all day long.  

Vijaya Dashami 

The tenth day of the festival is the 'Dashami'. On this day, a mixture of rice, the women will prepare yogurt and vermillion. This preparation is known as "tika". Elders put this on the forehead of younger relatives to bless them abundance in the upcoming years. The red also symbolizes the blood that ties the family together. Elders will give "Dakshina", or a small amount of money, to younger relatives at this time. This continues to be observed for five days till the full moon during which period families and relatives visit each other to exchange gifts and greetings. On the fifteenth day of the festival – the last day – the people of Nepal settle down to rest. The very next day the shops are open once again and life in Nepal returns to normal.

In several parts of Nepal, Dashain is the only time of the year when people receive a set of new clothing. Likewise, in poorer families, the animal sacrifice is eagerly anticipated since it might be the only animal protein the family would eat all year. This may be true in certain parts of Nepal where food is in low supply, but is less so in the cities. In general, the tradition of sacrifice is lessening with the easy availability of meat for daily consumption, and with the influences of Vaishnav Hindus (who are vegetarian).

Web Link to more about Dashain