Dashain has CHANGED!

by PRAVAT J GURUNG & MALIN GURUNG

FROM ISSUE # 154 (October 2008) | IN THIS ISSUE
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This month as we all get ready to get into that festive mood, we decided we'd find out how Dashain has changed for the young minds. As we grow up, it's very normal for us to get jaded with the festivities and meeting relatives. Call it a process of growing up but has Dashain really changed? Is it being celebrated just for the heck of it? Are the youngsters in just for the dakshinas? Do we really enjoy buying new clothes for the festival? Have we grown up so much that we don't enjoy our festivals anymore? Let us start the discussion!

SHAILZA

Participants:
1. Abhiyanta Shrestha, 20, Kathmandu
2. Dinesh Timilsina, 22, Kathmandu
3. Sagun Raj Lama, 21, Kathmandu
4. Sumnima Dewan, 19, Kathmandu
5. Khusi Ghale, 20, Australia
6. Robin Pun, 22, Great Britain
7. Shailza Manandhar, 24, USA

SUMNIMA

Do you think Dashain has changed? If so, how?
Abhiyanta: I feel that the festival has changed a lot over the years. It has now become more fashion and money-oriented.
Dinesh: Before it was more like a family affair but now, it has changed. These days it's a way to show off 'social prestige'.
Sagun: It's the same for me but the only difference is that we've changed the way we practise it. With time, practises became short and the rituals even shorter.
Robin: Dashain has changed, but only in terms of people's perception.
Khusi: Yes, teenagers, boozers and gamblers have their own version of Dashain! But I do think that its religious aspect has decreased over the years.
Sumnima: I feel it has lost the zeal and colour it used to have. People somehow celebrate just for the sake of celebrating it. It's pretty much the same for me though.
Shailza: I disagree with all of you. Dashain hasn't changed. Why would it change?

SAGUN

How do you think it should be celebrated?
Sagun: It should be celebrated for its purity and the sense of religious fulfilment it grants.
Sumnima: With all your heart, understanding that it's a festival everyone should be proud of.
Khusi: By not omitting its religious values, with responsibilities.
Shailza: Just the way you like it, not missing out the most essential elements: food, cards, kites, drinks and irritating cousins.
Robin: It is a personal choice.
Dinesh: Nepal being a diverse nation, Dashain should be celebrated as a means to create religious harmony.

DINESH

Do you think that Dashain loses its charm after you reach a certain age?
Abhiyanta: Yes, when we are young we look forward to Dashain to buy new clothes, receive money but as we grow up the excitement fades away.
Dinesh: Well, it hasn't lost its charm but the age factor does play a big role.
Khusi: I think so too. Duties and responsibilities grow as we grow.
Sagun: True. As we become mature we tend to focus on other worldly pleasures rather than the task at hand. 
Shailza: Not for me, because I still get hysterical about it (in a good way), as I used to when I was a kid.
Sumnima: I guess the way you perceive the festival changes with age, but the essence remains the same.
Robin: No matter what your age is the 'Dashain Vibe' is always the same, unless and until you choose not to celebrate it.

ABHIYANTA

Do you think that among all the celebrations and festivities, people forget Dashain's true essence?
Abhiyanta: Yes, because it is more of drinking and gambling now. People take Dashain and Tihar as an excuse to go overboard.
Shailza: Not at all. Some people just get carried away.
Sagun: True, it depends on the people celebrating it.
Robin: You cannot deny bunch of dumb posers between thousands. I don't blame some people for being in a 'merrier' mood and plumbing down their financial resources.
Dinesh: In recent years, the way we celebrate Dashain is making us lose our identity, just in the name of globalization.
Sumnima: I don't think people forget the essence of Dashain as such. It's still important, it's still the best holidays we get and it's still there.

KHUSI

Which festival do you enjoy more, Dashain or Tihar? What do you enjoy the most?
Abhiyanta: I prefer Tihar. The idea of small lamps making an effort to overcome darkness really inspires me. And what adds to the charm of Tihar is deusi and bhailo.
Khusi: Tihar, because it is more enjoyable.
Sagun: Same here. I must say I prefer the part where I get to light candles, oil lamps and of course burn some firecrackers though it's prohibited.
Dinesh: I like Tihar because it makes us aware of the true sense of belonging. It strengthens the brother-sister relationship.
Shailza: Both. I like the aura of Kathmandu during the festivals, the spirit of people, being with my crazy family, mouth-watering food, unlimited drinks, kites, cards, the lights and sounds.
Robin: Dashain and Tihar complete each other. I do not see them separately. The thing I enjoy the most is calling your mates and emptying each other's pockets. Get together obviously.
Sumnima: Tihar, simply because I love the lights!

ROBIN

How do you celebrate Dashain in a foreign land?
Robin: I receive a lot of invitation for which I find myself lucky. The Nepali community here organises cultural programmes and parties. It does make difference though as we don't have bamboo swings and we don't play deusi/bhailo.
Khusi: This being my first Dashain abroad, I have no idea what to expect.
Shailza: Drinking, playing cards, basically just getting together with friends. But honestly, there is nothing that can match the level of fun we had back home.