Hrishtina Kariyapradhan Tharu

“दशैं आयो दशैं खौंला पिउँला कहाँ पौंला चोरी ल्याउँला धट्त पापी म त छुट्टै बँसुला” This line has been prevailed from our generation to generation. When I was a child, my parents always used to tell me this line counting their fingers when Dashain was near to come. We just used to indicate this line with the help of our fingers. It was fun while telling this line. In my opinion, this line may tell us Dashain is near, we can have many verities of food to eat but sometime, we don’t have much money to celebrate it and by joking someone spell, we can just steal from others… this is just my opinion; I really don’t know the real meaning of this line.

Children are also waiting for this Dashain festival as for the vacation. Dashain vacation is the longest break for children from the school so, they wait and be eager for vacation for Dashain. School will be closed and they could go for the shopping to buy new clothes and so on.

A Dashain is one of the religious festivals of Nepal. It is called “Dashya Tihuwar” in Tharu culture. The festival celebrates to remember to “Pitri” in tharu ethos. It is celebrated every year falls on the month of October (Ashwin/Kartik). This festival is mostly celebrated by the Hindu followers of Nepal. It is the festival which brings happiness and gives the massage of unity among people.

All the relative’s friends came together in a group and celebrate this Dashain festival. In this festival, there is no discrimination among people celebrating it. Everyone joys this festival in their own way with their family, relatives and peers happily.

I did also enjoy this festival with my family, peers and relatives. I also went to mine friend house to wish them. Everyone came over in our home to celebrate it. In Dashain Phulpati, my mother washed the “Painas Topi” in tharu culture and then she dried it in the sunlight.

Then next day Dashain “Dhikrahuwa” (Astami Day) my mother prepares rice floor stem bread (Dhikkri). “Dhikkri” She can be made in 6 shapes Dhikkri (Bel, Kathik Bojha, chhitrahiya Gobar, Pauwa, Tekni, Korae). However, everyone prepares the Dhikri in their own way in tharu culture. In that day, we were not allowed to go in the house; only those people were allowed to go who had taken fast as “Pujari”. Same day, at night my father, mother and uncle worshiped the God (Deunta/Bhoot); Saunra, Maiya, Khekhri, Demanraura, Patnahi, Patan Devi, Churaniya, Bavana, Dharamraj, Bent, Jhoriya, Baharni and Veruwa.

Our god, goddess have also many shapes. Like, some are like horse (made by clay-mud), sticks, Straw and many more… and we also worship natural things found in surrounding like stone, plant(Bel stem with greenery) and so on.
Next day was Noumi , this day is also called as “Pitrahuwa” pitter Asrauney din (Tharu Culture). In that day my uncle killed 5 cocks sacrifice indicating to God, goddess (Deunta/Bhoot) at morning time. We called our God as Deunta/Bhoot in our Tharu’s tradition. Then my mom prepared things and delicious foods like food such as Rice, Sidhra (small kind of fish), Poink Saag (one types of clumber plant vegetable) local chicken meet, alcohol, etc… and “Jeura”(Jamara), Bebri so on; in her Dhakiya she keeps old clothes of Bhoot, Barhni, Bent, Veruwa after clean and scarp the place of Dehurar (Room of Deunta/Bhhot). and then she and my little sister went to river with my uncle to give pitter Ashrainey. In that day, we also remember our “Pitri Bhagawan” and enjoy ourselves on celebrating it.
This day I stay home; It was really boring when there was no one in home as my mom had gone to (Pitter Asrauney) river with my little sister. I was really bored and the house was also deserted and I also slept whole day. But I was really exited for the “Tika launey” day.

Next day came (Tika launey din), the usual process I woke up and did some household work and took bath. I wore my new clothes and worship god; goddess (Bhoot). My Father is the head of our family so he helped us to put Tika, Jeura and Bebri with boon. The tika was the mixture of white flour and water, this tika is called as the tika from the god. We one by one put tika in our forehead and had lots of fun and clicked lots of photos.

Till 1 o’clock no other relative came to our place. So, then we decided to take our lunch because we even did not eat the breakfast. While eating our lunch my youngest aunt and uncle came with their little son. After eating, we celebrate Dashain by putting tika and so on.

Then mid 3 pm, I was being bored and then I started to use the phone to feel unbored. At evening time, may be 5 pm my sister’s brother’s uncle aunts every relative came in our home. We everyone celebrated Dashain with a great happiness. We danced; we eat what we have. The happiness is when every peer, relatives and family meet together and celebrate. It was such a beautiful and fun moment while taking (दक्षिणा) from elders. Those memories and moments with my family will never ever be going to forget from my mind and my heart.

still, it is covid time right! It has not been gone yet so, while celebrating we must be very careful and aware about it. As it was covid time, not every relative were able to came over in our place to celebrate but we enjoyed a lot without them too. But we also did video call with them and we wish and bless them a happiness prosperity and wonderful life. So, this is how I celebrated this wonderful festival with my family.

And I wish everyone’s life will be a wonderful and humorous life and never got hardship in their life. With a great smile, I stop my hand here.

Aishwariya Vidhya Niketan
Dhangadhi, Kailali
Class: 9