Latest monsoon disaster affects home visits for Dashain

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 11: For Purna Tamang of Sindhupalchowk, Dashain festival is a time for family reunion, eating delicious food, playing cards and ping (swing). Relatives who live apart return to the village, making it feel like a year’s worth of joy is condensed into these few days, with everyone celebrating together.

But this year, Tamang is in Kathmandu with his family. His home district, Sindhupalchowk, was devastated by landslides and floods after continuous rainfall on September 28 and 29, 2024. Though he couldn’t return to his village, the memories of his childhood Dashain celebrations remain vivid in his heart.

“Playing the swing, cards and dice were the most anticipated aspects of Dashain. The older women in the family would prepare delicious food and selroti and we, on our part, would eat them with pure joy. Those memories are a blessing I can never forget,” Tamang shared.

Naresh Sharma (name changed) said, “Dashain is only for children, for us, it is a bundle of responsibilities. This year, we are in Kathmandu with our sons, and there is no real excitement. In previous years, we would eagerly wait for our sons to return from Kathmandu for the festival. But being stuck inside a room this time just does not feel like a festival at all.”

Meanwhile, our Kawasoti correspondent Mina Kandel reported that Dashain, most of the people in Kawasoti returned to the village for the Dashsin celebration. The schools are closed for festivals and most of them reopen only after Tihar. However, the festive spirit seems to be fading. The traditional game of swing, once a staple in celebrations during Dashain and Tihar, is gradually disappearing.

Local Tirtha Mahato expressed a sense of loss this year. “In previous years, I would celebrate with joy, enjoying tasty foods and sharing them with family. But this time, even after the fifth day of Dashain, I do not feel the festive atmosphere,” he said. 

He attributed this change to the devastating floods that struck on September 28 and 29, which swept away many homes and disrupted daily life. “With so much destruction, there is no enthusiasm for playing the swing,” he added.

Traditionally, villagers would engage in making a swing, a local game, during Dashain, with young people gathering to cut the necessary sticks and craft the game. Jitnarayan Mahato noted that such activities have diminished significantly. “In the past, young men and women would come together to create strong swings from babiyo (green straw). Now, most of the youth are absent from the village, and the floods have taken away our resources,” he said, highlighting the damage to homes and the struggle to recover.

Swing variations like Linge Ping, Rote Ping, and Kathe Ping, once integral to Dashain celebrations, are becoming increasingly rare. Ek Narayan Bhattarai commented on the shift in interests among the Nepali youth, attributing the decline of this tradition to the allure of the internet, video games, and smartphones. He explained that a custom during Dashain involves sitting on the swing after receiving blessings from dignitaries, with a belief that doing so brings good luck. However, he lamented the dwindling manpower for this traditional game.

Local resident Salikram Sapkota pointed out that many young people now prefer modern entertainment over reviving traditional customs. He also noted the challenges posed by increasing settlements, which limit space for the swing, as well as a shortage of necessary materials and skills among the youth who only gather for festivals.