Aditya Chaudhary
Like many other Nepali households, Dashain for our family too is mainly about get-togethers, good food and card games. For me personally though, my grandmother plays the starring role in almost of all my Dashain memories.
I still vividly remember her by the stove stirring the huge kasaudi we take out during the festivities to cook meat. My grandmother’s mutton curry was always the highlight of the festival season. I remember she used to put a lot of effort into it. As a kid it seemed like it took forever for her to cook it. Now I know she would let it simmer for up to four-five hours and when it was served, its taste always used to be the same: soft, juicy and flavorsome. Come to think of it, her cooking is just one of those things that define Dashain for me.
Further, she also used to be a big card enthusiast. She was always up for a game. In fact, whenever I was a little short of money, I used to suggest that we start playing. “Let’s play cards” was almost like a code for I’m broke. I’m certain my grandmother understood it because curiously enough at those times even though she loved playing cards, she never used to win.
Samiuya Gurung
Dashain for our family has always been the ultimate excuse for a get together. It’s the only time we don’t have any scheduling conflicts, the only time we get to have a proper sit down so we make the most of it by heading to our hometown Pokhara. However, thinking back one thing that I recall is how all this buzz of activities got me in trouble with my homework.
We used to have a month long vacation and a long list of assignments to go with it. I remember attending to them at the very last moment. So cue in the panic, the late nights and some telling off from parents. Often I even used to take extra two days off after the Dashain vacations. I used them to rush through my homework. My memories of the festivities are all good ones, full of joy and celebration. But perhaps, maybe a little too much celebrations.
Erosion of Common Memory in the 21st Century
I also have vivid memory of my disgruntled mother making me sit at night to finish these Dashain homeworks. She used to watch her Hindi serials while keeping an eye on me. As much as I’d want to I couldn’t even sneak a peek at the TV, she’d immediately know and I’d quickly go back to scribbling some more words. Every single year, this used to be the scene at the end of my Dashain vacations.
Bibek Raj Manandhar
Kites (as they should be) are a big part of our Dashain. For me, feeling the warmth of the balmy October sun, having the wind in my hair and my kite fluttering above in the sky is when it feels like the festival season is truly upon us.
It was my grandfather who taught me how to fly a kite. I believe I was in first or second grade. As a kid, I remember watching my father and his brothers flying them from our balcony in Basantapur so I was more than happy to take on a lattai. It was relatively easy learning how to fly kites with my grandfather. He even taught us some tricks. So every year as Dashain came around, we’d be in the balcony. I remember not even having the patience to take off my school uniform. We had a battle to fight. Often the competition was among other kids in the neighborhood.
The love of flying kites, though, did cost me dearly once. Four years ago, my brother and I were enjoying flying our kites and these weren’t the cheap kinds. I remember we had treated ourselves to those beautifully made sturdy big kites. But then the wind blew mine to our neighbor’s house. I didn’t want to lose this kite so I decided to retrieve it. I had got it too but on my way back, I slipped and tumbled down two floors. Luckily, I just sprained my leg. But the kite got ripped.
Rajib Neupane
During Dashain our entire family gathers around at Bukhel VDC for tika. This place is up a little hill in the south of Lalitpur. When I was around eight years old, I remember there were two roads that led us up there. We could have used a car by one whereas the other required us to walk. I always insisted in taking the latter option. True, it was inconvenient, as it would take my family about five hours to get to our destination that way. But I was a stubborn child and eventually my parents gave in. As it turns out, it wasn’t a bad idea at all. Those walks make up some of my most memorable Dashain moments.
During those walks, I remember thoroughly enjoying the greenery of the nearby jungles. We would even come across a couple of rivers and walk through a suspension bridge. I loved all of that. Every now and then, my maternal and paternal relatives would also accompany us. So we used to tread at a relaxed pace, chatting and laughing with one another throughout the way. It was bliss. We did this for almost seven years. Now of course, we have cars going up there. Plus over the years, the scenery too has changed so I doubt things will be the same, even if we do try. But they certainly make good memories.
Alina Karki
Dashain feasts are a big deal in our family. For as long as I can remember, my mother has always made an elaborate menu and played host to our big extended family. During the festival season my mother is always the cook and we are her assistants. Last year though, I thought I’d try my hand at cooking as well.
I’m not exactly the world’s best cook, but I do like YouTubing recipes and giving it a go. Now my previous attempts haven’t exactly been a hit among my family. I admit there have been times when I have forced my younger brother to eat the dishes I whipped up so that it wouldn’t go to waste. Nevertheless, my mum wasonboard with the idea. She said I could make one dish for our annual Dashain feast.
Straight off the bat, I wanted to attempt a new cuisine. As delicious as our Dashain feast is, the items that we make are authentically Nepali. So I thought, why not add some variety and make a glass noodle salad. I YouTubed the recipe, hunted down the ingredients around town, and got it ready on the day.
Glass noodle salad is a fairly easy dish to make but considering my track record, I’m sure nobody expected it to be a good dish. But surprisingly it was one of the most popular items of the day. Our guests loved it. I remember being surprised at their reaction but there was also this sense of achievement. I discovered that cooking for your loved ones and getting appreciation in return is a wonderful feeling. Definitely a memorable Dashain moment.
