Dashain Holidays

Dashain is the longest and the most important Hindu festival in Nepal and is celebrated late September to mid October, immediately after the monsoon season. Dashain gets many different nicknames such as Dasara, Bada Dashain, Vijaya Dashain, and Durga Puja. Dashain is the festival celebrating the god Durga's victory over demons.

Nepali Hindus celebrate Dashain holidays and many families from urban areas visit rural families and vice versa. There is a lot of shopping goes on! Nepalese families try to shop at least for the children if not for all. The Nepali Government gives bonuses to government workers as at Dashain (usually equal to one's monthly salary). Some private companies such as banks do the same. Farmers earn their bonus by selling their highly demanded agriculture and live-stock products in return for good cash. Our house help and workers also expect bonuses.

Dashain's most popular foodstuff is meat, and in order of popularity are goat, sheep, buffalo, duck, or chicken. Meat is expensive and poorer people usually can not afford it. So dashain is the time to eat lots of meat. Usually animals are bought live from the market and sacrificed at home or in temples. At home, the whole family is involved in cutting and preparing the meat that is usually eaten over the next 2 to 3 day's of feast. But some families prefer to buy the meat already prepared by the butcher.

Dashain is also about family respect, so that is why scattered families come together. Cities suddenly seems to empty, more people returning to villages than people joining families in cities. During this season, people rush to book tickets on buses or planes.

Everybody tries to get home to see familiy

Children love the season also for flying kites and if you visit Kathmandu or any other city during this season, the day-sky is filled with colorful kites like shinning stars in the night!

Tika is a symbol on the forehead that the deity being worshipped is given the highest honor by the person wearing it. Getting a tika is also thought to be a blessing. The oldest person in the family begins giving Dashain tika to the youngest then the second youngest in the family and so on. There is a Hindu belief that 'faith', 'hope', 'inspiration' and 'blessings', all come alive in Dashain.

Traditionally, popular Dashain bank notes are Rupees 2, 5, 10, and 25. Therefore receiving a tika and offering money in notes is regarded as an appreciation. Everybody tries to get smaller and new notes, so banks are usually busy during the season.
The houses and temples are decorated. Walls get a new coat of paints, roads are cleaned, homes and temples are decorated with lights, villagers join together to clean or build new trails, paint their homes using red-colored mud. People clean themselves mentally too by visiting various temples and worshiping during the festival. Puja is regarded as worshiping god for peace and prosperity and are performed at the end of Dashain. Playing cards is a popular during Dashain. Usually family members play cards with each-other or with friends for money.

Village children ride on Ferris wheels, and swings built using traditional methods (ropes made from tough grass, bamboo sticks and wood). Commercial fairs and celebration events are organised in cities.

Some Christian visit their families but do not participate in eating the food sacrificed or receive the tika that shows participation in Hindu worship. Other Christians use it as an opportunity to encourage, train and coach new believers.


Pray for :

- Christian communities and leaders in Nepal

- Christian believers who face persecution from their families

- Organisations including UMN that are focused on development and anti-trafficking

- Nepal peace process and drafting of the new constitution

- Nepal security situation - there has been increase of petty criminal activities

6.8 quake hits Nepal and five lose lives in Kathmandu and Sunsari

An earthquake measuring 6.8 Richter scale jolted Nepal on Sunday, 18^th September 2011 at 6.25 pm. It was the strongest quake to hit the country in 73 years. The epicenter was between Taplejung in Eastern Nepal and the India state of Sikkim. There were 14 aftershocks of varying magnitude that were recorded. The number of casualties and extent of damage is still to be ascertained. However the Nepal home affair ministry had reported that 60 people were injured in a stampede whilst jumping off the building in Kathmandu. Three people died after the compound wall of the British Embassy collapsed in the aftermath of the quake.

The parliament session stalled 15 minutes after lawmakers rushed out of the the parliament building when the strong earthquake hit. 

My family was safe and we thank God for protection. Let’s remember to pray for families whose houses were damaged and those who lost their dear ones and friends.

When children live positively

In Nepal, some children are not spared HIV due to infection spread by migrant workers. A child is born with HIV virus because the family could not afford to meet their basic needs.  It happened because the father decided to go to India to look for a job and while there he was infected with HIV.  On his return it was transmitted to his wife and finally to the unborn child. 

According to a report published by the United Nations, labour migrants make up 41 percent of the total known HIV infections.  Nowadays people are more aware about HIV compared to the situation 10 years ago and the stigma faced by people living with HIV has decreased.  But no significant progress has been made when it comes to containing the incidence of HIV brought by migrant workers. UMN will expand its HIV work to focus more on migrants. The community’s capacity to reduce the impact of HIV will be developed and this will give hope to the affected people. If families are able to meet their needs then children’s lives will be protected. There are other cases of children who suffer silently and, because sufficient stigma still persists, the family is afraid to go for treatment, care and support. What kills is the stigma! 

Nepal has wonderful children

Pray for:

·        Children who are infected and affected by HIV

·        Migrant workers that God protect them

·        Female community health volunteers who are supporting  the needy children

·        Communities to protect the rights of children

Challenges for addressing HIV and AIDS in Nepal

A second national congress of people living with HIV was conducted in Kathmandu and 300 delegates attended. Most of the people living with HIV are poor and marginalized; poverty and low literacy remain the major factors that fuel the epidemic. Some could not access treatment due to stigma and living remotely. However, Nepal has made some progress as there are over 5000 people with access to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART).

One of the challenges faced in the fight against the HIV is the fact that many people do not simply know their HIV status and also many discontinue Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) simply because the ART sites are far away from their homes. Viral load testing services are essential within six months of starting ARV treatment. Similarly drug resistance testing is also needed for those who are on ARVs for more than 3 years but such services are lacking. Livelihood support for people infected by HIV is limited and the media reports cases of discrimination against children affected by AIDS in Schools.

Please pray for the government here to ensure the rights of children affected by AIDS; formulation of a HIV bill to protect the rights of people infected and affected by AIDS; and for political commitment to respond to HIV and AIDS.

The United Mission to Nepal continues to support people infected and affected by AIDS for livelihood, treatment and care. The National Association of people living with HIV and AIDS in Nepal has been playing a crucial role ensure the right of women and children in regards to access to treatment services.


Women access information on HIV and AIDS. Some battle with effects of the epidemic and others are now educators.

 

Please note ...

... that I won't be able to access or update this blog for the next few weeks - sorry! Hopefully manage to blog more often starting end of July.

Prayers for a 'New Nepal'

UMN is partnering with the Nepali Christian Community to encourage churches to act on various social issues, and have input into building a “New Nepal”. Local facilitators are now trained to conduct workshops across the country for church leaders.

Please remember the following points in your prayer for New Nepal:

1. Local workshops with the Christian communities in Pokhara, Butwal, Damauli and Baglung next week to explore the social issues and possible Christian responses on them.

2. Local churches and Christian communities to initiate financial contributions for this movement.

3. Press Conference with local bodies next month to promote servant leadership pledge from the Christian community.

United Mission to Nepal's new logo

short break ...

This blog is taking a short technical break - back in a week or so!