A hassle-free shopping for Dashain

With the major and the long awaited Nepali festival, Dashain, just around the corner, and the pressures to meet the deadlines before taking some days off to celebrate the series of festive events, you might be in a rush to get the necessary things essential for the celebrations.

But there’s little to worry about because the antiquated and hidden shops in Ason hold more than anybody has actually realized! [break]

As you tear past the crowd of people towards Ason, you can see several shops lining up the old maze of streets in all directions. The sizes of the shops themselves are quite misleading, and it’s not until you run your eyes over their shelves that you realize how much these have to offer.

Upon reaching the main chowk of Ason, you can see a row of shops as old as 100 years that are quite popular for the range of spices offered. Jeera (cumin seeds), dhaniya (coriander), garam masala (power spices), lwang (clove), sukumel (cardamom, smaller variety), dalchini (cinnamon) and other exotic zests are all found right here.

Apart from these items, some trivial yet incredibly imperative stuff like readymade lal mohan mix, powdered cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and custard are also available. These condiments most likely help to make your dishes tastier.

Apart from the assortment of spices, alum and pink and black salts that incorporate a multitude of functions are also found here. Alum has antibacterial properties, black salt is used for enhancing the taste of fruit salads, and pink salt can cure throat problems. Similarly, these salts can also be used as a substitute for the usual table salt which can’t be used during religious and ritual fasting.

Sanjeev Bajracharya, the owner of one of these shops in Ason, says, “Dashain is one of the major festivals when relatives even from far away get together. The culture of exchanging these eateries and spices as gifts is still prevalent. Which is why there is an increasing demand for them during Dashain than on normal days.”

Apart from these essentials, miscellany items like sweets, readymade cake mixes and dry fruits, napkins, toothpicks, paper plates, disposable glasses and dices are also found here which conveniently prevents customers from moving around in search of such goodies.

Next to these shops is another array of shops that are just as much famous for spices. The shops are all laden with neat little packets of spices with their names printed out legibly on the packet front. They offer saffron, fry vegetable masala, fish and prawn masala, and many more. These shops are popularly known as “Asonko masala pasal.” Even if you have trouble finding these, you can ask the locals there, and all fingers will point you to them.

Facing these shingled shops is yet another antiquated shop which has even survived the Great Earthquake of 1934. More than one hundred years old, it is run by the Guthi Sansthan. Chittabir Singh Pasal, or more popularly known as “dhara gadeko pasal,” this shop is guaranteed to serve your requirements when it comes to purchasing ritual puja necessities.

For instance, when you ask for puja materials required for Dashain, the cheerful old lady there hands you a little ‘have-it-all packet’ that contains things required from the start of Dashain to its end. Abir (vermillion powder), keshari (saffron), jau (barley) seeds that are needed to grow jamara, til (sesame), panchapalak, supari (beetle nut, areca), and many other essentials are packed inside.

A little further on from these shops towards the opening of Ason, and facing the busy street is another shop known as ‘Mama Bhado Pasal’. From idols of Durga, Laxmi, and other deities, this one sells a wide variety of metal items like beautifully carved copper and bronze thalis (plates), ornate candle stands, traditional ghadas, and some typical Newar and Nepali utensils. Sukunda (traditional oil lamp), anti (wine pouring brass decanter), khala (clay cups to drink from) are some indispensable items readily available here.

Chiura, or beaten rice, another major must-have item for Dashain, is available in varieties at the groceries here in Ason and in adjacent Bhotahiti, and Maha Boudha. Likewise, some shops around Bange Muda and Indra Chowk to the western end of Ason also offer you some of the oldest kinds of tikas and abirs.

In gist, Old Kathmandu is still buzzing with energetic shopping in the heart of the town at Ason, Bohahiti, Maha Boudha and their neighborhoods. Try Ason, and you won’t regret.

So have a happy Dashain shopping!