Anchit Dhungana
Dashain is known as the festival of women’s power. It is said so because there are nine different days and nine different women goddesses that are worshiped during this festival. Those goddesses are Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidhatri.
In history of culture, all these nine goddesses are different forms of Goddess Durga. Dashain is the longest and most auspicious festival in Nepalese community. It has a very big value in the Nepalese society. This festival makes relations stronger. Now-a-days everyone has a job and gets busy in city life. But at the time of Dashain we get to gather with family, talk with each other and we build up relations.
Dashain it its own importance. It symbolizes the victory of good over evil. For followers of Shaktism (a cult worshipping power), it represents the victory of the Goddess Durga. Its tenth day is the Tika Day. On this day, everyone goes to elder relatives and get tika put on their forehead and receive blessings from the seniors.
We have a long and joyous period of fifteen days in Dashain for having fun in family, and among relatives and community. We live happy moods for some days with no stress on our heads. This has a huge impact on the community and is a great festival of Nepal. But this time, there is COVID-19 pandemic that is not letting us gather at one place.
We must just get together in virtual ways. It might be the best way to give continuity to our culture, simultaneously staying safe from the virus.
Happy Dashain to you all.
[Anchit is a grade nine student at Kathmandu Pragya Kunja School, Kathmandu.]