Festival Time in Nepal

My student Snea.

Shahil and Nisanta.

We have met our students and have taught our first lessons in Nepal. Such crazy little kids and so lovely at the same time. They are always so excited to see us. Unfortunately, the school we work at has very, very limited resources. The poor children have no materials other than a dog-eared old English text book that has been taped up to keep it from falling apart. No pencils, anything to colour in, and not a board marker or even a piece of chalk in sight. It is a sad sight. We do what we can for the kids - I bought crayons for them, we bring paper and make things for them to colour in as well as learn English. They have a lot of fun.

Powdered dyes from India, used in the festival.

 It is the 3rd week here in Nepal, and it is festival time. The Diwali festival, also called "festival of lights," is a Hindu festival celebrated for 5 days around mid October. It is kind of like a Christmas in a way, as all the houses in the neighbourhood paint their houses in bright colours and hang up lights. For each of the 5 days, something different happens, and for the first 4 days the people worship a different animal - first the Crow, then Dog, Cow and Ox. All around the towns and villages, you can see dogs and cows wearing Tikkas and wreaths around their necks.

Traditional dancing during Diwali.

A Rangoli with the path leading into the house.

A very important day of the festival is the day of Lakshimi. Diwali marks the end of the harvest season, and this is the time where farmers give thanks for the bounty for the past year, and pray for a good harvest for the coming year. The Hindu Goddess Lakshimi symbolises weath and prosperity, so the people make offerings to her to bring in a prosperous year. This is done in the form of a 'Rangoli.' A Rangoli is a painting on the ground in front of your house in the shape of a 5 leafed flower, using beautiful colours from India and many candles. A path then leads from this small 'shrine' up to your house, so welcome the Goddess into your house and bring wealth. Everybody does this, from the large town next to our village, to the tourist town down the road. We were lucky enough to take part in this ceremony with a local family that we had met a few days ago. It was very special, and such a privilege. We ate with the family, and were even given gifts - I was lucky enough to recieve a traditional Nepali cap!

A calf on 'Cow Day.'

A puppy with a Tikka.

My new Nepalese sister.

The last day of the festival is called Yama, but more commonly known as the Brother and Sister festival. It is a day when brothers and sisters get together to express their love and affection for each other, but giving gifts and eating together. The legend goes that the Lord of Death, Yama, went to visit his sister. His sister Yami welcomed him, so he gave her a gift that nobody would die on this day while he was on holiday. So it is really to celebrate with your whole family, knowing that everyone will be there and will be together. We took part in the ceremony, in which the sisters give a rainbow Tikka to their brothers, and visa versa, and then a wreath of flowers around their neck. The person who gives you the Tikka is now your sister or brother - this means that now I have 3 Nepalese sisters, and they have an Australian brother!

Making the Rangoli.