Every year, villages in the eastern hills come alive during Dashain

Youths in Kaiveer Fedi are setting up a swing in Chauri Bazaar during this Dashain. Youngsters of Shanti Danda are also organizing a football match. A lot of other sports tournaments are taking place in Fikkal. Even the prison is not far from Dashain delights and it is organizing a lot of sports activities for inmates inside there.

Every year, villages in the eastern hills come alive during Dashain. Everybody who is away from home returns home during Dashain. Married daughters happily visit their parents, and children are much excited about seeing their grandparents. All this creates a lively and vibrant environment in villages during Dashain.

“Dashain comes only once in a year, and there’s a different joy in celebrating it with one’s family,” says Manisha who plans to stay home this time until after Tihar. “I don’t know when I’ll be able to come home again. So I want to have as much fun as I can when I’m here,” she smiles.

Manisha Basnet of Ilam is a first-year BBS student at Padma Kanya College in Kathmandu. But she returned home as soon as Dashain began. This festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil is one of the favorite festivals for Manisha.

Hundreds of people are on the way to their homes to celebrate these 15 days of Dashain despite the difficulties of getting comfortable transportation at this time.

For her, the best thing about Dashain is that it gives her a time-off from all her works, duties and stress for at least those 15 days, which she plans to spend eating her favorite foods.

“Though I live away from home due to work for most part of the year, I always celebrate Dashain at home,” says Laxmi. As she receives blessings from her parents in Dashain, her heart fills up with joy. This festival, she hopes, brings similar happiness to people in all communities.

Laxmi Khanal, who works as a Public Relations Officer in a private office in Bhainsepati in Kathmandu, will go to her home in Ilam on the day of Fulpati. She’s eagerly looking forward to spending the seven days of Dashain holidays with her family members. Laxmi, for whom Dashain is the best time for family union, can’t seem to wait for the moment when her elders will bless her with tika and jamara.

The number of people who return to their homes from their respective work stations to celebrate Dashain is very large. Hundreds of people are on the way to their homes to celebrate these 15 days of Dashain when Goddess Durga is worshipped with reverence.

Everybody who is compelled to be away from home for various reasons, like higher studies, job, or business, are excited about going home during Dashain to celebrate it with the family.

“Many people from Ilam live in Kathmandu for jobs and studies. They have already started to return home since early this month,” says Anil Thapa, a night bus operator in Ilam. He says that during Dashain, buses going to Kathmandu from Ilam are usually empty while those coming from Kathmandu to Ilam are almost always overcrowded with passengers.

In Ilam, Fulpati is celebrated in a special way. Similarly, the Mai Valley Sports Club has made arrangements for playing bingo during Dashain. A cricket competition is also being organized in Dashain. And most of the temples and tourist spots are specially decorated during the festival.