Happy Dassain 2016

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Dassain is the longest and most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar. The festival is celebrated by Hindus families of all caste and creed across the globe especially in Nepal, Bhutan, Burma and North Indian hills.  It is celebrated in the tenth month Kartik ( late Sept and early Oct) of Nepalese Calendar. It is the fifteen days celebration which occurs during the bright lunar fortnight and ends on the day of full moon.

Goddess Durga
Dassain commemorates a great victory of the gods over the wrecked demons and symbolize the victory of good over evil. For followers of shaktism, it represents the victory of the goddess Parvati. In hindu mythology, the demon Mahishaura had created terror in the devaloka (the world where gods live ) but  goddess Durga killed the demon. The first nine days of Dassain symbolize the battle which took place between the different manifestations of Durga and Mahishasura. The tenth day is the day when Durga finally defeated him and the last five days symbolize the celebration of the victory with the blessing of the goddess. For other Hindus, this festival symbolizes the victory of Ram over Ravan as recounted in the Ramayana. It is said that lord Ram was successful in the battle only when goddess Durga was evoked.

Dassain wish


In preparation for Dassain every home is cleansed and beautifully decorated, painted as an invitation to the mother goddess, so that she may visit and bless the house with good fortune. During this time people wear new clothing which they receive as a gift from their parents, elders and friends.

Among the fifteen days on which it is celebrated, the most important days are the first, seventh eighth, ninth and tenth. The first nine days of Dassain are called Nawa Ratri. This day is also known as demon-hunting because members of defeated demon army tires to save themselves by hiding in the bodies of animals and fowls.

The first day of Dassain is called Ghatasthapana, which literally means kalash (holly water vessel) establishing which represents goddess Durga. The seventh day is called Fulpati. The eighth day is called the Maha Asthami, the fervor of worship and sacrifice to Durga and Kali. The ninth day is called the Nawami, where temples of mother goddess are filled with people from dawn to dusk.


The tenth day is the Vijaya (victory) Dassami. We celebrate this day grandly. On this day we receive tika (mixture of rice, cud and red colour) from our elders and receive their blessing. We visit our elders in their home and  get tika from them while our younger ones come to our home to receive blessing from us. This function continuous for the next four days till the day of full moon.

Tika ceremony

It is also called as Dasshera  or Maha Durga Puju in India and is celebrated with great rejoice, and goddess Durga is worshiped throughout the kingdom as the divine mother goddess.

Dassain is festival which gathers all the family members who are staying far from each other and gives them the opportunity to spent the good time together and sense the feeling of family and togetherness. People return from all parts of the world, as well as different parts of the country, to celebrate together. All government offices, educational institutions and other offices remain closed during the festival period. This is the time to get the precious blessing from the elders especially from the parents and the grandparents. People makes verities of especial foods, drinks and have meals together feeling the joy of happiness and forgets about all the sorrows for the time.

This is my second year celebrating the Dassain in the college, away from my home and away from my family. Here in the college we, all the southern Bhutanese student come together and celebrate the Dassain grandly serving the lunch to whole JNEC family. We receive the Tika from Director sir and Deans and get precious blessing from them. We organize the programme for the day with lots of preparations and excitements. We do the puja session, we sing, we dance, we eat and enjoy the day to the fullest.


Thought we celebrate the Dassain grandly in the college but it cannot subtitle the feeling of home and joy of family. Actually this is the day where we miss our home and family the most. I also really missed my family on the day, my mom, little bro and my Nana(elder sis). They are my World and I know that they also have missed me the most. But I’m hoping and wishing that next year we are definitely going to celebrate together. 


Image source : Google image

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References
Diwali.(n.d.). In wikipedia. Retrieved October 13, 2016 from                                                                        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali.

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