Nepali Dashain Communities around the world have been celebrating festivals

K N Sharma Geyzing: 19.Oct.18: Communities around the world have been celebrating festivals in different traditions, culture and beliefs since long and the festival of Durga Puja in the Hindu month of Sharad with cool nights and clear skies is one of the most awaited festival in the Nepali community. After nine days of worship of different forms of goddess Durga in the form of aarti, bhajans, offerings, etc., there is a tradition of soaking corn, wheat, jowar, etc., on new moon day.

The tenth and the final day of the mega festival is the Vijay Dashmi and it is believed that any task done in the ‘Vijaya Muhurat’ turns out successful. On this day, Lord Rama defeated Ravana depicting the win of good over evil.

In the Nepali tradition, there is a custom of receiving blessings from the elderly in the form of ‘tikas’ on the forehead made of curd rice. This festival promotes goodwill and exchange of love from one another. There is a custom of sharing sweets with your loved ones too. Though nowadays the essence of the festival is being challenged by modernisation as the consumption of alcohol, etc., has drastically increased since past some time. But it’s the people who need to safeguard the true essence of the festival and remove all the shortcomings to make it as cheerful as it is intended to be.