"Last year while I was talking her through all of the process of the bhai tika, it hit me that she might not be able to carry out the rituals without my guidance. Even after 23 years of celebrating bhai tika, she would be lost without me. It is a very scary prospect," explains Reshma Shrestha, Nikita's mother.
This is a fear that many from the older generation share. And their concerns are legitimate, because in addition to culture giving people a sense of identity and belonging, it clearly also influences an individual's life on a personal level. After all, it is our culture that helps shape our values, views, desires and fears. Watching the younger kids fumble around, looking confused or worse, uninterested during the various rituals of these festive Dashain and Tihar season, they worry.
Nikita though passionately talks in defense of her generation. "I think it is unfair when they accuse us of not being keen to learn more about our culture because it is not true. With age and maturity I believe everybody realizes its importance. But more importantly at the moment, there are some aspects of our tradition that does not make sense to me. As a small example let's take the kag or kukkur puja or the fact that we use multicolored tikas on bhai tika. I have been told these are our traditions but I don't want to blindly follow them. I'd very much like to know the reasons, myths and history behind it. But there have been many instances where my elders have not been able give satisfying answers. It seems they are just doing it because they were told so," says Nikita and raises the question, if this is the definition of preserving our traditions and culture.
Tulsi Lal Singh, Chief of Central Department of Nepal Bhasa agrees. "I'd say if you don't understand the meaning behind certain rituals, it is best not to do it at all. It is a good thing that youngsters today are not willing to take things at face value. We see it among our students too. They are eager to unearth the reasons behind what we have accepted as traditions. Though this kind of curiosity obviously tests the adult's knowledge on the matter as well and some are not exactly passing with flying colors," says Singh with a little chuckle.
He states that these are the results of changing times but disputes the notion that youngsters today are less fascinated with traditions. While running their Master level classes on various Kathmandu based culture studies, he reports witnessing a spike in interest about these subjects among youngsters. He informs that a class at the Central Department of Nepal Bhasa has an average of 22 students who attend regularly.
Professor Dr Chunda Bajracharya who majored in and teaches culture has also experienced this eagerness among the youths and takes this season as an opportunity to take our understanding of being Nepali to the next level.
"What better time than now during the festivities to engage the youngsters and explain to them the folklore behind our culture. Just take bhai tika itself. It has a fascinating story about Lord Yamaraj and his twin sister Yamuna. We can all make a conscious effort to find out why we specifically use makhamali flowers or draw an oil border around our brothers. Each step involved in the ritual has a special meaning," shares Bajracharya.
"Nepal's culture is actually not only based on folklore but if you pay attention there are scientific, environmental and social aspects to them as well. Just take any one of the Nepali traditions and find out the basis on which they stand," says Dr Bajracharya.
Along with instances of the popular legend behind bhai tika that narrates the story of Lord Yamaraj and his twin sister Yamuna, she also gives examples of Maghe Sangranti where the whole point of the winter season celebration is to consume food that will help retain body's heat. She also talks about the little known siti nakha which is celebrated among the Newar community. While the international committee celebrates world water day, their ancestors had been respecting water resources and cleaning them on this specific day of
siti nakha for centuries.
Further in her opinion, the matter of being interested in one's culture has never been more important than now in the present political and national climate. With talks about rights of marginalized people, religion, language and such raging on, we can all sense the importance of knowing more about the culture we follow. She claims that it has almost become a political issue.
"There have been reports of how Bidhya Bhandari has been speaking against the practice of naming Kumaris. She cites that this practice works against the empowerment of women and even robs several rights of a child. This has become quite a serious issue. Now the Newar community is fighting against the claim by protesting that Bhandari doesn't have the right to dictate what and how things are done within their community. Now if the younger generation is not educated on the importance of Kumari how can they defend this stance?" explains Bajracharya.
It all begins with this realization: culture is the invisible bond which ties people together. Cultural awareness is the foundation of our society and it involves the ability to take a step back and become conscious of our cultural values, beliefs and perceptions. Why do we do things in a particular way? How do we see the world? Why do we react the way we do? In becoming culturally aware, we can not only help preserve it but respect and treasure the similarities and differences.
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