Dashain
Dasain is THE major festival in Nepal. The ten nights of the Great Goddess. It celebrates the victory of the Great Goddess, Durga over the buffalo-demon, Mahishasur.
In a nutshell, this is a celebration of the victory of good over evil, a theme as lasting as any in the convolutions of human consciousness. In the villages, in preparation for the festival, and in anticipation of the Goddess' visit, and that of numerous relatives, people ceremonially cleanse their houses, giving them a fresh coat of red mud, cow dung and water.
The first day of the Dasain festival, is called Ghatasthapana - 'the Establishment of the Sacred Vessel'. It falls on the new moon day.
The next nine days, called Navaratri (the 9 nights of the Goddess), are dedicated to the worship of the nine forms of the Great Goddess Durga. Early morning baths in the river or a stone spout begin the day, while the evenings are dedicated to visiting different Devi temples on each day, and offering worship. Some of the pilgrims carry specially made lanterns. Some offer to lie all night completely still, with burning oil lamps attached to them with cow dung paste. Caste bands play music and masked dancers portraying the nine Goddesses dance on the temple stairs.
After about a week, when the sprouts of "The Sacred Vessel", planted on the Ghatasthapana day are grown, the official sacred vessel is carried through the old capital with much fanfare. That day is called Phulpati. It marks to official start of the holiday. All offices and most places of work are closed, and people devote themselves to celebrating the great victory of good over evil.
From midnight of the eighth day, called Kalaratri (The Black Night) the sacrifices begin. Over the next three days thousands of buffaloes, goats, ducks, and chickens are sacrificed to the Goddess, to ensure prosperity and happiness in the coming year. Don't worry, all the meat is consumed, and distributed to relatives as prasad. It is generally believed that the animals sacrificed at Dasain are re-born as humans, thus gaining the opportunity for ultimate liberation. Some worshipers of Vishnu and those opposed to sacrifice, may just break a gourd or an egg in a gesture of sacrifice
On the ninth day sacrifices are made to Durga for the protection of all vehicles and their occupants, from the luxury limo down to the humble bicycle. On that day the God Vishvakarma, the heavenly handyman and producer of all mechanical things, is also propitiated. All tools and implements of labor are worshiped with flowers, lights, incense and sacrifice. Students' books, writers desks and pens, doctors' scalpels, all get the treatment. The Marxists even worship their hammers and sickles. Here we see office workers worshipping their computers.
The tenth day, Vijaya Dasami (Oct 24), is the day of the Goddess' victory over the buffalo-demon Mahishasur, and of Lord Rama's over Ravana, is the day of receiving Tika from elder relatives and superiors, visiting them in strict order of seniority or rank, starting with one's parents.
For the next five days, until full moon day, everybody goes all over the place, visiting relatives, receiving and giving tika, exchanging joyous greetings, and feasting.
Read MoreIn a nutshell, this is a celebration of the victory of good over evil, a theme as lasting as any in the convolutions of human consciousness. In the villages, in preparation for the festival, and in anticipation of the Goddess' visit, and that of numerous relatives, people ceremonially cleanse their houses, giving them a fresh coat of red mud, cow dung and water.
The first day of the Dasain festival, is called Ghatasthapana - 'the Establishment of the Sacred Vessel'. It falls on the new moon day.
The next nine days, called Navaratri (the 9 nights of the Goddess), are dedicated to the worship of the nine forms of the Great Goddess Durga. Early morning baths in the river or a stone spout begin the day, while the evenings are dedicated to visiting different Devi temples on each day, and offering worship. Some of the pilgrims carry specially made lanterns. Some offer to lie all night completely still, with burning oil lamps attached to them with cow dung paste. Caste bands play music and masked dancers portraying the nine Goddesses dance on the temple stairs.
After about a week, when the sprouts of "The Sacred Vessel", planted on the Ghatasthapana day are grown, the official sacred vessel is carried through the old capital with much fanfare. That day is called Phulpati. It marks to official start of the holiday. All offices and most places of work are closed, and people devote themselves to celebrating the great victory of good over evil.
From midnight of the eighth day, called Kalaratri (The Black Night) the sacrifices begin. Over the next three days thousands of buffaloes, goats, ducks, and chickens are sacrificed to the Goddess, to ensure prosperity and happiness in the coming year. Don't worry, all the meat is consumed, and distributed to relatives as prasad. It is generally believed that the animals sacrificed at Dasain are re-born as humans, thus gaining the opportunity for ultimate liberation. Some worshipers of Vishnu and those opposed to sacrifice, may just break a gourd or an egg in a gesture of sacrifice
On the ninth day sacrifices are made to Durga for the protection of all vehicles and their occupants, from the luxury limo down to the humble bicycle. On that day the God Vishvakarma, the heavenly handyman and producer of all mechanical things, is also propitiated. All tools and implements of labor are worshiped with flowers, lights, incense and sacrifice. Students' books, writers desks and pens, doctors' scalpels, all get the treatment. The Marxists even worship their hammers and sickles. Here we see office workers worshipping their computers.
The tenth day, Vijaya Dasami (Oct 24), is the day of the Goddess' victory over the buffalo-demon Mahishasur, and of Lord Rama's over Ravana, is the day of receiving Tika from elder relatives and superiors, visiting them in strict order of seniority or rank, starting with one's parents.
For the next five days, until full moon day, everybody goes all over the place, visiting relatives, receiving and giving tika, exchanging joyous greetings, and feasting.
