Student Blog

In Japan, the homecoming season typically revolves around Obon and New Year’s. In Nepal, however, a similar scene unfolds in the autumn during the country’s largest festival, Dashain. As people return to their hometowns to celebrate with family, communities come alive with activity.

My Nepali friend Kritika fondly recalls, “When I was a child, school would be closed for an entire month, and I was always excited to see all my relatives gathered together.”

Dashain is rooted in Hindu mythology, celebrating the victory of good over evil when the goddess Durga defeated a demon. The festival spans 15 days and is a time to pray for family health and happiness. Both schools and workplaces close, and even those working abroad return home, making it a rare and precious time for full family reunions.

The highlight of the festival is a ritual called Tika, where elders apply a mixture of red powder, rice, and yogurt to the foreheads of younger family members as a symbol of love and connection. They also offer blessings along with a sacred grass called Jamara. Children receive gifts and pocket money, and another a cherished tradition is families sharing stories from the past. During the festival, large wooden swings called Ping are set up in village squares, and the sky fills with countless kites as children’s joyful voices echo through the air.

For the people of Nepal, Dashain is a deeply personal and significant event—a moment when communities unite.
Witnessing how they value intergenerational connections inspires me to cherish my own relationships with people from all walks of life.