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We should revive traditions, not just spend money
by RISHI AMATYA AND SHASHANK SHRESTHA
| FROM ISSUE # 129 (September 2006) | IN THIS ISSUE | |||
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We Nepalis are a lucky lot: our ordinary days are far outnumbered by holy-days. Our calendar is coloured with festivals of every kind. For many, Dasain is the most revered, and certainly the most anticipated. Big rato tikas on foreheads, feasting (and indigestion), the chance to see long-lost relatives—all this makes Dasain a revitalising time for those who celebrate it. For those who don't, it's still special, as the harsh summer gives way to hazy autumn softness, the endless rain stops and the sky is crystal clear again. Dasain time is magic. 
But as Nepali society rapidly changes with the times, we often hear that Dasain is losing its charm, that it's needlessly long, that it is decadent and wasteful or has been rendered obsolete by modernisation.
As Dasain draws closer, we decided to talk to today's youth and get their take in this issue. As it turns out, Dasain still hasn't lost its touch.
The participants were
Roshan Karki (Nepal College of Management),
Preeti Das (Nepal College of Management),
Aditi Dewan (Nepal College of Management),
Pukar Ghimire (Tri-Chandra Campus),
Eve Joshi (Budhanilkanta School),
Anjushree Bhattarai (Budhanilkanta School)
EXCERPTS
Why do you celebrate Dasain?
Roshan: It's to solidify social ties. Religion brings people together, making Dasain an extended social get-together.
Preeti: We celebrate it as our national festival.
Pukar: The motive is to enjoy good times with one's friends and relatives. It's a good time to socialise.
Some Dasain practices seem pointless. Do we really need to buy new clothes, for example? 
Roshan: These are just ways of being involved in the festivities. Buying clothes shouldn't be obligatory, though, as some people can't afford it. And it's also no reason for Dasain to get the bad press it does every year.
EVE: People take Dasain as a social status competition rather than a festival. It might be better if Dasain were celebrated casually, rather than at such expense. That would do a lot to make the festival more acceptable.
Aditi: Well, we needn't do the really trivial things anymore. It's impractical to wait for Dasain to buy new clothes. 
Pukar: True, it certainly isn't a ritual, is it? Then again, it does add some spice to the festivities.
Preeti: Dasain is becoming faddish, all about the glitz and glamour, but really, it's made much worse by the media. There are the same gloomy stories every year about Dasain debt, but very few about how much fun it can be.
What's with the gambling?
Preeti: I heard of some guy who built a three-story house after a Dasain winning spree. I guess it is beneficial to some! Personally, I don't care much for it.
Pukar: It's acceptable between friends, in one's social circle. There are plenty of professional gamblers though, and they should be taxed on their winnings.
Some people say it's time to stop the institutionalised cruelty of Dasain animal sacrifices. 
Preeti: It's not just brutal slaying, it's a ritual. If people feel closer to the gods, I'd say it is justified. Then again, it depends on your perspective.
Pukar: There's so much brutality around already, I think it's a bad idea to slay animals. It's scandalous to say this during Dasain, but it's high time we all turned vegetarian.
Do you find Dasain loses its charm as you grow older? 
Anjushree: Dasain was more fun when we were kids. Now it's basically all about having fun, and not so much about the traditional aspects of the festival. Somewhere down the line it has lost its charm. It isn't what it used to be.
Aditi: It was a totally different story when we were pre-teens. Now it becomes a 'dating time' for some, others are buried under all their vacation assignments. [Everyone nods in agreement] I also think that people emphasise over-spending and exaggerate what 'must be done', seeing the festival as a burden, not enjoyment. Somehow Dasain is getting lost in the age of globalisation.
Roshan: Nepali youth are slowly shying away from celebrating the festival that is uniquely theirs. It might be because Dasain has lost its original grandeur. There's a bad side to that. We don't take Dasain seriously, and we are role models for the younger generation. Instead of seeing it as a time for family and continuing traditions, they treat it like we do, as a compulsion, not a festivity.
Preeti: It's certainly lost its charm for me. I really miss lagur-burja. We don't see too much of that now, do we? Children spend their holidays playing computer games instead of enjoying traditional activities.
 Roshan |
Roshan: Dasain needs what's called 'value reinforcement' if it is to survive. It has to change with the times, and though we dismiss commercialisation, cultural marketing can certainly help.
Pukar: Yes, and the media.
Aditi: Media can definitely revitalise langur-burja, linge-ping and other traditional activities. We need to focus on the cultural aspects of the festival.
But come on—secretly for most people Dasain is all about dakshina, right? 
Pukar: Well, it's a tradition, not a means of earning income, so I propose offering everyone Rs 1 as dakshina, regardless of the person's age, status etc. This may sound weird but it will be unique. People won't mind.
[Everyone nods]
Dasain isn't a time for anything heavy (except food), but we have to ask—will anything happen to Dasain now that Nepal is officially a secular state?
Pukar: No, Dasain may have has lost some of its cultural and traditional touches, but it is still celebrated widely with lots of enthusiasm. Just because we are secular it does not mean that people will not celebrate the festival. It is mainly celebrated by Hindu people, and they are the majority anyway, so even if the country is officially secular it won't do any harm to the popularity of the festival.
Aditi: The thing is, I believe that Dasain is for every Nepali, not just for Hindus. If you label it that way, it may make people from other religions uneasy about participating.
PREETI: Dasain is more of a social activity than a religious one, and it brings together many different castes and ethnicities. The government should decide what to do.
Roshan: The only thing I see being reduced by secularism is the month-long holiday.