Dasain Festivities

Dasain, Nepal's biggest festival, is a 15 day long event that began October 8th and lasted through October 22nd. About the festival: 


"The festival is a blend of Hindu Tantrik and animistic harvest festival traditions. On the first day, called Ghatasthapana, the "Dashain Ghar", or special worship room, is set up—this room is used to worship the Astha-Matrikas (the 8 tantrik Goddesses) as well as the Nava Durgas (the 9 Goddess Durga), to whom the festival is consecrated. Married women will say the mantras for the next fifteen days, and guard the goddesses. Barley is sowed on big earthern pots which have a coating of cow dung. These seeds will sprout in ten days. The sprouts, which symbolize a good harvest, will be decoratively placed on the heads of family members later on in the festival as a blessing." (Thanks wikipedia)


Here are a few pictures from the celebration!

Harisiddhi School decorated for the 9th grade class's Dasain production

My homestay sister, Rajjwala, making flower garlands

My homestay sister, Prajjwala, making traditional Dasain cakes

I helped with the garlands!

Visiting the village temples for puja (worship)

A ping! A giant bamboo swing traditionally built during Dasain for kids to play on.

Accompanying my family for puja

My homestay mom, Sarita Bhauju 

I really like this picture!

The whole family

Puja at home

 For safe travels

Dasain traditions

I have more pictures of events at the village temple in the evening, but they aren't on my computer at the moment. So they will be coming soon!