Dashain

Dashain is one of the major Hindu festivals celebrating the victory  of good over evil and we are in the midst of it.  It is actually about 10-15 days long with each day of the festival having it's own individual celebration, which all culminates on Day 10. So stores close and the whole country shuts down for these four or five days.  It involves a lot of animal sacrifices, temple visits, family gatherings, and rejoicing over a good harvest.  The sky is filled with kites during the day and and the songs of women and children caroling during the evening.

Sugary sweets rule the festival and so the government made sure to order extra sugar, as they ran out last year. In my Nepali class on Friday, my guru talked about all the wonderful food she was preparing and how it was made. She has a lot of family visiting, but she said she would save me a sample.

I have also seen these huge bamboo swings.  During Dashain, it is said that you need to swing at least once to swish all the ill omens around you, up into the air and away from you. They look rickety but I would still like to give it a go. Maybe I need to buy a kite and find somewhere to fly it... free of wires.

Since everyone heads back to the villages, the city becomes very quiet. My neighborhood is eerily so.  I had been warned to stored up on food and water, so I have done that. I have also stocked up on a lot of books and have some documentaries to watch. I think I am set.

One more week of holidays! I love this country! :)