Dashain Days

Happy Dashain! Yesterday, the tenth day of Dashain, was the main day of the fifteen day Hindu festival. The city was pretty much shut down, but people were out and about with families and friends. I had the chance to go to two different celebrations.

On Sunday, the ninth day, I met up with my coworker, Pooja. I made it rather quickly to our meeting point, so I had some time to kill before she was going to arrive. I decided to walk around Kathmandu’s Durbar Square where many of the main temples are located (most cities have a Durbar Square – it’s like the main plaza). The square was packed with people! Families were strolling around and shopping for last minute items. Because of all the temples, many people were buying flowers to worship their gods. People had carts of fruit and vegetables for sale, which is a customary gift for the holidays. Many of the Nepali women were decked out in red saris, and the girls had on fancy dresses. One of the largest temples in the city, which is located in that square, opens only one day a year, and that is the ninth day of Dashain. By late afternoon there were hundreds of people lined up to go into the temple. I didn’t see the people in the morning, but when I was coming home in the evening, I saw the line stretching from one end of the square to the other.

After I met Pooja we stopped for coffee at a little, tucked-away hippie café on Freak Street. Freak Street is one of those old timey hippie havens, which now still has the standard number of hippies hanging out, but I imagine it was a different scene in the 1960s. Then we walked about 20 minutes through some neighborhoods I have not yet explored to Pooja’s house. We crossed the infamous river in Nepal, which is full of trash. Unphased by the filth, some Nepalis set up the Dashain swing on the banks of the river. The bamboo swing is constructed only during the holidays.

I spent the afternoon with Pooja’s family. Their kitchen was full of food, but there was no common meal time. It was kind of buffet style, so we just ate when were hungry. It was delicious! Her mom, sister and brother played cards in the afternoon, but Pooja and I decided we weren’t the gambling type. Plus, I didn’t know the game, and I wasn’t about to bet money on a game I couldn’t play…

The next day, however, I lost 30 rupiyas on a card game I did know. Monday, the tenth day of Dashain, I went to another co-worker’s house for food and cards. Her family had a similar set up, with the food all prepared and people just ate when they were hungry. After another tasty meal (this one vegetarian), I joined in for cards. I didn’t realize they were betting for real, at first. My experience with cards was poker and baseball, betting just pennies and nickels with Grandpa. So, being the risk-taker I am, I put in 30 rupiyas, which is about $.50. Once I lost it all, I left the game! They were playing a game where you get two cards and then you have to bet whether or not the third card will be between the two you have. It was fun, but I don’t know how they were able to play that game for THREE HOURS! I tried to pick up on their Nepali, and I think I have my numbers down pretty well from the cards and the betting. Other than that, I still have a long way to go until I can fully participate in Nepali conversation.

Sunday night was a big Ramanbad ceremony. I wish I had brought my camera, but I didn’t, so I can’t show you the pictures. But, they constructed a 20 foot tall statue of the Hindu god Raman, who has ten heads and is evil. He disguised himself for nine days during Dashain, and on the tenth day revealed himself, which led to his demise. The statue is made of bamboo and newspaper, kind of like a parade float. In the story, Ram, the good God, defeats Raman, the evil God, on the tenth day. To represent this, they use pyrotechnics to destroy and burn down the Raman statue. It was fun to see – albeit, a little violent for a holy celebration. The statue went down in flames within about ten minutes, but there was quite a flame, and lots of ash, which I’m sure covered the people sitting closest to the statue.

There are a few days left for Dashain, but the city is open again today. The office is still empty, though (I’m the only one here today). No word on the money, but I’m about ready to hit up an ATM so hopefully they are stocked some time this week!