Dasai/Dusshera festival
Dashain, also known as Daseira, is a major festival celebrated by the Nepali community in India, particularly in areas like Kalimpong, Darjeeling, and Sikkim. This fifteen-day festival is filled with vibrant rituals and family gatherings. It begins with Ghatasthapana, where a sacred jar is filled with holy water, and barley seeds are sown to grow jamara. As the festival progresses, families clean and decorate their homes. On the eighth day, known as Maha Asthami, people worship the fierce goddess Kali, often with animal sacrifices. Maha Nawami, the ninth day, is dedicated to worshiping machinery and vehicles, symbolizing the victory of good over evil. The most significant day is the tenth, Vijaya Dashami, where elders place tika and jamara on the foreheads of younger relatives, giving blessings for prosperity, health, and long life. Families visit each other's homes, exchanging gifts and enjoying reunions. Throughout the festival, people fly kites, marking the end of the monsoon season, and engage in card games with family members. Animal sacrifices, particularly of goats, buffaloes, and ducks, are offered to please the goddess Durga. People often buy new clothes and prepare large feasts with traditional foods like goat meat, beaten rice, and various sweets. Visiting temples dedicated to goddess Durga for prayers and blessings is also a significant part of the celebration. These traditions and activities make Dashain a joyous and culturally rich time for the Nepali community in India.
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