Mud & Music Mayhem

The 15th of the Nepali month of Ashadh is a joyous moment for Nepali farmers because it marks the start of the paddy plantation. The monsoon picks up momentum this time around, prompting farmers to get engaged in agriculture activity. Although it is not specified in history books or folk stories as to when farmers began celebrating Asadh 15, the Nepal government recognised Ashadh 15, also known as Ropai Diwas or Dhan Diwas (Paddy Day), on December 14, 2004. 

Farmers sing traditional folk songs and play with muddy water while planting rice saplings on the occasion. They relish Dahi (curd) and Chiura (beaten rice) which contain high nutritional content.  According to a 2020 study, conducted by The Himalayan Times, youngsters in many districts of the country were unaware of Dhan Diwas, which is a matter of serious concern. This is a reason many educational institutes have started to take their students to the field on Asadh 15 to remind them of the importance of Paddy Day in Nepali society.  

Mid-Valley International College (MVIC) also observed Dhan Diwas under the theme of 'Mud and Music Mayhem.' Before organising it, we had to select a field that is ready for the paddy plantation. Luckily, our friend Sudarsan arranged his field at Gokarna in the east of Kathmandu for the purpose. Earlier, a group of friends, including me and my friends - Nikesh KC, Christina Prasai, Saman KC, Sudarsan Gautam, Prabin Pathak, and Mission Upreti went to plough the field. We made videos and had our little mud and music while preparing the field. To participate in the programme, a student paid Rs.350 to have a T-shirt and a delicious snack consisting Dahi-Chiura, pickle, soft drinks and tea.  

The Centre for Community Engagement, Centre for Career Development, and Centre for Sports and Hobbies collaborated with our college to make the event a grand success. On the day of the programme, we came to college early to make sure that everything was in order. Everybody was assigned his/her responsibility. Some cooked while others were managing medicines and logistics. 

Teachers were busy arranging transportation and students' participation. After the inventory was checked, a mini-bus carrying over 70 students headed towards the venue through a narrow road.

The event started with some music followed by a tug of war. Girls’ and boys’ games were played separately and the winners received a round of applause from the audience. I was not in a mood to play owing to the cold I caught but my friends did not want me to miss the funniest part of the event. They chased me in the fields and held me before splashing me into the mud. After the games, our friends and teachers continued to slosh onto the muddy water. Students and teachers danced to the tune of folk songs. 

Then we took a snack to retain our energy. An hour past noon, half of the students went back to college. We had another game - hit the pot. Our friend Pramesh mistakenly hit Saman’s head instead of the pot. He was not seriously injured, it was hilarious. 

The event aimed to familiarise the students with our customs and traditions passed down from one generation to another. "It seeks to connect Nepal to its soil and roots. 

Modernisation maybe now the new identity of Kathmandu Valley, but it still has the same agricultural roots as before," said Jeevan Adhikari, our programme director. He said that most of the students had shown curiosity as to why there was the need to mark the festivals that are related to culture in one form or the other. "As students learn to celebrate them, they will develop a sense of togetherness with their friends.” 

Batch 10

Mid-Valley International College