Dasain away from home | Feature

It was spring 2004. The sun shone, the sky was blue but everyone looked gloomy. Back home, it would soon be the anniversary of goddess Durga's victory over evil. Half a world away, we suddenly missed our families even more. So we gathered a group of friends and had a get-together on tika day at a friend's apartment.

Life in Sydney can get really busy so we planned a month ahead. We planted jamara on Ghatasthapana in an old broken microwave (the darkest place we could find). Guess what, the jamara was premature when we needed it but we used it anyway.

We tried to ferment rice for bhate jaad but it didn't even get close to fermentation. We had a dress code for the Dasain party—pink, so the boys would have to get new clothes, the girls would buy new ones anyway. Even the tika turned pink because we mixed more yoghurt and less red colour. Soon, we were all calling it our "Pink Dasain". We had great food and games, and some card playing, dancing and lots of laughter. My favourite part was when everybody put tika and blessed the younger ones with a few dollars. We were saying the funniest blessings and most of us were laughing so hard, we were crying. That was when we felt like Home, a big family in this strange land.

Prabin Chemjong, Sydney, Australia

All around us

No matter where or how far we are from home, when it comes to Dasain and Tihar, we try to change the colours and smell around us into those of our motherland. We feel the acute absence of loved ones but we still celebrate with all the Dasain spirit we can muster, be it tika lagaune from our seniors, eating khasi ko masu or playing cards. Girls use it as an excuse to wear saris.

Sammy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.

Coming home soon

I've been in China for four years but it seems like forever. I miss Nepal and the fun we used to have during Dasain and Tihar. Trying not to feel miserable about not being home, we (me and my Nepali friends here) organise a small programme annually on tika. Around 100 people come, 40 non-Nepalis and 60 Nepalis. We dance, sing, eat, and watch plays. We'll do the same this year. I have only 300 more days to go before I return home. Then Dasain will be fun again.

Bijay Jung Gurung, Xian Jiaotong University, China

Dasain dandiya

I spent four years in Chennai, studying engineering. Dasain would fall during exams so instead of partying, I'd be studying about modern electronic monsters. On Ghatasthapana, people would plant jamara, I'd be cramming like crazy. Fulpati was for nervous breakdown, and Nawami and Astami more of the same. Dasami was showdown. Still, I'd try and have fun. On Navaratri, I'd dance dandiya with Gujrati friends. And during the last few days, my Bengali friends and I would visit pandals, which are big structures where gods and goddesses are worshipped. Exam days, we'd be like "can you tell me about digital signalling? Analog? Hoffman coding? Wazzat?" Now, I'm working with Siemens at Kolkata and hope to have as much fun.

Swikrit Manandhar, marketing executive, Siemens Limited, Kolkata, India

Momos and more

My first Dasain in Bangalore, we had two days off from college. What was I to do—finish assignments or have fun? Tihar is more of a big deal here. Us Nepalis decided to have a momo party at a friend's place instead. There were 29 of us—playing guitar, singing Nepali songs, dancing. However, our momos didn't turn out that well. None of us knew how to mix the masala. We ended up making momos anyway from 9AM to 10PM but we still hadn't finished. We've decided not to make momos anymore.

Riju Shikhrakar, College Of Fine Arts, Bangalore, India

Tika talo

The weekend before Tika, weNepali students and some friends get together. We cook Nepali food, have a BBQ, play cards and dance to Nepali, Hindi and Urdu music. We make tika and put it on each other. Celebrating it in the US is not the same as in Nepal. However, it makes you realise the importance of the people around you. I think that's what Dasain is about—showing respect and appreciation for the people around us.

Biraj Gyawali, Winona State University, Minnesota, USA

Livin' it up in London

It seems like the farther we are from Nepal, the more we try to relive our days there. We formed a Party Group London here and hosted a Dasain and Tihar dance party for young Nepalis on 5 September. More than 500 students turned up. We had DJ Wrestly and DJ Sunil playing Nepali music. On 26 September, we had a Youth Night Concert where local bands of London—Lum, Prayas and Laya Sutra—played in Ealing. On 3 October, Deepak Bajracharya will be here to sing for Tihar. We only get to take a few days off from work, so we make the most of it.

Sunil Pradhan, Stratford College, London, England

Swimmin' fine

Dasain celebration every year depends on our spare time. Those with families here spend it the traditional way. Last year, we celebrated it on Saturday, the day after Dasami. The rest of us planned a picnic. The host family owns a private lake about 11 miles south of college so 38 of us Nepalis set off. We swam, had a barbecue and made sekuwa, Nepali style. We had another after-party party till 5AM. Three boys were the last men standing.

Pradyumna Dhakal, Kirksville, USA

Homecoming

I left Nepal three years ago to study. I miss everything back home—family, friends, food. Especially on Dasain. I think of kites in the sky, khasi ko masu, and a month-long vacation.Last Dasain, a Nepali professor suggested we go to St Louis and celebrate it with a Nepali family there. Aanch, I thought, great idea.

I still had a hangover from a party the night before but we drove three hours to St Louis anyway for tika. Many Nepalis had already gathered there. Inside, everything felt familiar: the delicious aroma, people talking in Nepali and Nepali music. Everyone had tika on their forehead. Gautam Uncle introduced us to his family and friends. Santa Aunty is an excellent cook, her khasi ko masu was pure heaven. I lost badly at a game of Flush so went off to join a dance. It was soon time to leave and it felt like leaving home all over again.

Pratipal Shakya, Westminster College, Missouri, Fulton

Hong Kong Dasain

It's been 10 years since we left Nepal but Dasain and Tihar aren't very different because my family is here. Every year on tika, they take leave from work though it's very difficult for all of us to get leave at the same time. Either we go to our relatives for tika or they visit us. This year, we've planned a party with our friends and relatives. Some friends have organised a barbecue so I've got to go there too. There are lots happening here during Dasain and Tihar, so it's always fun.

Anjana Rai, Hong Kong

Roman holiday

Mom, Dad, and I have dinner with all the Nepalis here on Nawami. On Dasami, we do the tika stuff—put on tika, get money, all of that. That's basically it, but it's fun. Usually, we try to get khasi ko masu whenever the whole Nepali group is meeting up. I like Dasain because we get to be with all the Nepali families here and the day becomes all Nepal-ised even though we're in Rome.

Astha Sharma, Rome, Italy