How Dashain celebrations have changed over the years?Born and raised in the north east India I could relate with the feeling and sentiment of Durga Puja also known as Dusherra (North India) or Viyaya Dashami (South India) and Dashain (in Nepali) as a young boy growing up. I grew up celebrating many festivals, but Dashain and Di(pa)wali always felt special. The celebration was vibrant and joyful not limited to one thing but many — such as participation in kite flying, buying new clothes, delicious foods, lots of different sweets, fascinated with cap pistol or gun— guns of course, were not real but the bangs were—where we as kids have yelled “Bang! Bang! I got you!” while playing cowboys and Indian or cops and robbers or whatever other violent game was in vogue, crackers and fireworks and more importantly the spirit of the festival itself was so special and unique that it made the whole festival memorable and world last for months. Reflecting on those days makes me nostalgic and grateful to have been part of it. The joy of celebrating Dashain was a unique and beautiful feeling—one that’s hard to find now.
Time brings change, and while that is mostly good and perhaps the only way forward, we wish something would remain the same. Dashain festival seems to evoke that sentiment. Most people born in the 90’s would somehow agree that there was a time when Dashain was a highly anticipated festival, and while the fun is still there, the vibe isn't the same. Back then with the arrival of Dashain, people gathered to paint their houses with white cement and clear their yards of overgrown bushes and decorated their home. After Ghatasthapana, families with bamboo would share it to build swings, filling the community with excitement. The return of loved ones from abroad infused the air with energy. Dashain fostered a strong sense of community and togetherness. The unanimous memories of Dashain were more heart warming than how we celebrate the festival today. Dashain holidays were all about meeting friends and family, playing games and eating a lot of (sweet) meat. While we still do that, the charm and excitement have largely been lost because it's not a new thing for today's generation. But now, in this digital age, kids no longer feel like going out to play. Instead, they spend time making reels for instagram, YouTube, TikTok videos and other social platforms to promote themselves on the social networks. With most of the relatives abroad, being online has helped people stay connected—they can send wishes and receive blessings digitally. Dashain doesn’t feel complete until people post a selfie with tika and wearing jamara (barley seedlings).
During my childhood, Dashain was a time of immense joy. The highlight was wearing new clothes, and the atmosphere buzzed with relatives visiting to apply tika in a single day. Today, Dashain feels less vibrant. Children can enjoy delicious food and buy new clothes at any time. Many prefer solitude, retreating to their rooms with gadgets instead of socialising during the festival. When I was young, Dashain celebrations began a month before, uniting everyone to clean the roads and plant flowers around homes. Dashain was vibrant and joyful, bringing our family and relatives together under one roof. Reflecting on those days makes me nostalgic. Nowadays, Dashain comes and goes without the same joy and excitement, leaving me saddened as I see relatives refusing to participate in traditions.
I remember my Dashain in my early days, swinging in the street with my friends and family. Every Dashain, we worshipped at the temple and at the Durga Pandal, where handmade statues of Durga and other gods were displayed. From Ghatasthapana, we prepared for rituals, participated in the Kalash Yatra, and dressed in new clothes until Phulpati, after which we wore new clothes daily until Nawami. We lit incense sticks with parents each evening, recite bhajans enjoyed eating prasad (sacred or blessed food offered to Gods) and visited the temple till the festival was over. Most of all, I cherish family gatherings, which are rare at other times.We eagerly anticipated buying new clothes, visiting the market, and gathering food and supplies for home. During Dashain, we had less household work, allowing us to enjoy swings, fly kites, and hang out with friends. Tika days were significant, as I received money and blessings from elders, indulged in sweets, and enjoyed quality time with my family.
Dashain is a time for family gatherings, and while we can enjoy good food, hang out with friends, and engage in activities anytime, finding time to be with family and relatives has become increasingly rare. For me, Dashain is about cherishing moments with family and friends. Nowadays, the festival often feels more like an occasion for showboating, with many focused on capturing perfect pictures and videos for social media. The celebration of Dashain now seems limited to playing cards and wearing jamara (barley seedlings).
Today it's more of responsibility than fun. We used to fly kites and try to cut the threads of those from our neighbourhood. We would run after the kites as they gently fell on the ground, it was believed that the first signs of Dashain were the kites appearing in the sky. Kite flying and also playing on the swings were the most important and fun activities of this festival.While we were kids, we used to sit in the lap of the elders on a large swing as we were scared. But now we can clearly see the change. It is no longer a big deal to have food on the table and we rarely see kites flying in the sky or the swings swaying in the fields. We used to get new clothes once in a year during the time of Dashain, but now we buy clothes every month.There is now no difference between the normal days and Dashain.
Before Dashin created memories, but now it's more like capturing the moments. Dashain is more for the photos. It's not a bad thing, but only giving priority to photos to show off and not enjoy the moment is not good. Before, so much value was given to blessings bestowed to us by our elders, but today children are only interested in the money that is given as gifts. It's not that today's generation has completely forgotten the importance of Dashain. But slowly, but surely the charm of the biggest Hindu festival is waning. The vibes and that feel are going down. Certain circumstances make travel difficult, and customs like jutho and sutak have further strained family connections, making it hard to celebrate Dashain together as we used to.
Dashain has become more Westernised and influenced by alcohol consumption. We find ourselves between traditional rituals and modern celebrations, which can be confusing. Despite the changes, Dashain still holds special meaning. We enjoy shopping for traditional clothes, spending time with family, and playing games together. Last but not the least, change comes with time, and we should move accordingly, but we should never forgot our identity, our traditions and festivals, which create great memories.
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