Dashain festival
Dashain festival
Dashiain festival overview
Dashain Festival is one of the most important for Hindu religion. which is celebrated all over the Nepal.This festival is usually falls in the month of September or October and is actually celebrated for 15 days. It starts from bright lunar fortnight (Shukla Paksha) and ends on the day of full moon (Poornima) according to Nepalese annual calendar. Hindus greatest festival, Dashain honors a great conquest of the gods over the evil demons. The symbol of power, Goddess Durga is worshiped during this festival.
One of the victory stories according to the Hindu myths reveals that a demon named ‘Mahisasur’ who spread horror was killed by Goddess Durga. And, the first nine day of Dashain represents the constant battle between vice and virtue. And, the tenth day signifies the triumph of good over evil. Another Hindu legend ‘Ramayana’ discloses that Dashain symbolizing as the triumph of Ram (vice) over Ravan (virtue) with the blessings of Goddess Durga.
The first day of Dashain is known as Ghatasthapana, on this day, people fill a vessel with sand and sow maize and barley seeds and is covered and worshiped for 10 days. On the seventh day, Phulpati is celebrated which is also known as ‘Saptami’. The eight day is regarded as Maha Aastami. On this day, animals like buffaloes, ducks, goats, hens are sacrificed to Goddess Kali and the meat is taken as ‘Prasad’ (holy food). The night of this day is called the dark night- ‘Kal Ratri’. Maha Navami is the ninth day of Dashain. On this day, craftsman, mechanics, traders etc worship their equipment and tools by sacrificing different animals and offering it to equipment. The tenth day is named as Vijaya Dashami which is the most important day of this festival. On the tenth day, younger ones in a family receive Tika (a mixture of yogurt, rice and vermilion), Jamara (planted on the first day of Dashain) and blessings from elders as well as respected people.
This festival is in fact the ceremony of reunion and fun. People living far away from home or homeland, revisit their home and get together with their families. Similarly, parents buy new clothes to their children. People enjoy eating mouth-watering foods and playing a lot of games including cards. People invite guests, organize feast, visit their relatives’ houses, fly kites, build bamboo swings and get involved in various entertaining activities.
This year, the first day of Dashain Festival – Ghatasthapana falls on 1st October, the seventh day Pulpati will be celebrated on 8th October, followed by Asthami on 9th October and Nawami and Dashami on 10th and 11th October respectively. Additionally, for 5 more days till 15th October which is named as Kojagrat Purnima the festival continues.
If you are thinking of partaking on the festival, Nepal Hiking Team would love to welcome you during this festive season. You will get to enjoy the streets of Kathmandu and see cheerfulness in the eyes of locals under the background of stunning natural and cultural exquisiteness.
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our testimonials
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Dammaru Niraula was our guide and confidant for our recent visit to Nepal. We went on a humanitarian visit to build a hothouse in the village of Phortse in the Khumbu region of Nepal but also included some trekking on a personal level before and after our project. Dammaru was a vital link in getting the project off the ground and…
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Dammaru Niraula Trekking Guide Trip Leader I have had an association with Dammaru over the last three years. My first trek with Dammaru was to the Solu Khumbu region where he tailored a trek to suit our request to climb some remote passes and stay off the main tourist routes where possible. His knowledge of the area was very impressive and his attention to our safety was always his major concern. The second trek I did with Dammaru two years…
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Dear Dammaru I have been trekking to Ghorepani poon hill on Jan 07 for 6 days with Mr. Dammaru. Poonhill is so beautiful, so all I can do is just taking pictures on poon hill. If you were planning to trek in Nepal, I…
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I was a member of a group of nine friends from Northamptonshire in 204 from the UK, on a trek of the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. Apart from one member, we were all approaching or over the age of 60 and were all well aware of the difficulties we could encounter at Thorong La which sits at an altitude of 5,416 meters (17,769…
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My husband and I embarked on a trip to Nepal in October 2006. We were hoping to avoid the large tour groups and were referred to Himalayan Holidays based in Kathmandu as a provider of customized tours. We had looked on the net to determine the tour we wanted to undertake and spoke to many people and eventually decided 6-day on Ghorepani Poon…
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Dammaru Niraula was our guide and confidant for our recent visit to Nepal. We went on a humanitarian visit to build a hothouse in the village of Phortse in the Khumbu region of Nepal but also included some trekking on a personal level before and after our project. Dammaru was a vital link in getting the project off the ground and then as a support person in Nepal before, during and after. He completed the following tasks with the utmost professionalism and patience. Arranged transfer of a large number of funds from Australian bank account to Nepalese bank account. Communications with the village before we arrived to ensure the walls were built. Organized our itinerary and necessary bookings for the trekking part of our journey for 8 adults. Once we arrived in Nepal he then assisted us in purchasing all the gear we needed for the finishing of the hothouse. e.g. Polycarbonate roof sheeting and the many other bits of hardware necessary. Transport of the roofing etc to Phortse village via helicopter, plane, yak, and porter. As well as being a part of the project Dammaru also was our trekking guide for the duration of our trip of 5 weeks. He organized everything for us from the hotel, in Kathmandu and everything in between our trek to base camp. He is honest, reliable and always puts the customer first. I would have no hesitation in recommending Dammaru to anyone who is considering a trip to Nepal.
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Dammaru Niraula Trekking Guide Trip Leader
I have had an association with Dammaru over the last three years.
My first trek with Dammaru was to the Solu Khumbu region where he tailored a trek to suit our request to climb some remote passes and stay off the main tourist routes where possible. His knowledge of the area was very impressive and his attention to our safety was always his major concern.
The second trek I did with Dammaru two years later. This trip was the culmination of a long term project to build hothouses in a village deep into the Solu Khumbu region.
www.himalyanhothouse.org To complete this project Dammaru had a pivotal role in developing contacts, sourcing materials helping to manage the project finances. During the preparations for the Hothouse project, we found Dammaru to be honest, prompt and very hardworking. He also showed a great understanding of our requests and needs for the project to be successful. During the trek, itself Dammaru co-ordinated seven of our group and six porters as well as an extra climbing guide. He also acted as a very effective interpreter and liaison with the people of the village of Phortse.
On a personal level, Dammaru is the most genuine man with a big heart. He shared the passion for our project and its humanitarian ideals. Once again our safety during the whole trek was his main concern. A phrase often used by Dammaru sums up his professional work ethic. Service is most important.
I would not hesitate to recommend the services of Dammaru Niraula if you plan to undertake a trek or similar activity in Nepal.
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Dear Dammaru
I have been trekking to Ghorepani poon hill on Jan 07 for 6 days with Mr. Dammaru. Poonhill is so beautiful, so all I can do is just taking pictures on poon hill. If you were planning to trek in Nepal, I would recommend you as one choice. His personality and professional guide skill makes me fun of Trekking and Nepal. so I am planning to go to Nepal again this August. He may meet all demand of you request on your trekking trip even though you join in the big group. Because he has more over 10 years experience of trekking guide for Many English and Japanese speaker. Actually, I have never met such a good Japanese speaker guide and I had no chance to speak in English with him.
I can recommend him to all people who need great experience guide with English or Japanese.
so you can get satisfaction for a great guide.
Very Thanks,
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I was a member of a group of nine friends from Northamptonshire in 204 from the UK, on a trek of the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. Apart from one member, we were all approaching or over the age of 60 and were all well aware of the difficulties we could encounter at Thorong La which sits at an altitude of 5,416 meters (17,769 feet).
Our group was led by Dammaru Niraula and we were most impressed by his leadership qualities. He introduced us gently to the lower altitudes and gradually encouraged us on longer and more arduous days of trekking. At Manang, he encouraged us to take a day trek up the lower slopes of Gangapurna and Annapurna III (see my photo below) and afterward to attend an altitude safety lecture in Manang. We are all convinced that, without his careful attention to altitude safety, we would not all have completed the trek over Thorong La and some of us at least would have joined the many trekkers who are forced to descend suffering from altitude sickness. We will always be eternally grateful to Dammaru and his team of Sherpas.
Like many Nepalese, Dammaru has a very quiet and gentle nature with a keen sense of humor and fun. At first, he appears to be shy and reserved but is constantly attending to the needs of his guests, assessing their temperaments and abilities and adjusting the itinerary accordingly. After a few days in his care, you come to realize that you are in the hands of an experienced, competent and understanding mountain guide.
I can recommend him too highly and know that he will continue to offer excellent trekking facilities in the Himalayas.
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My husband and I embarked on a trip to Nepal in October 2006. We were hoping to avoid the large tour groups and were referred to Himalayan Holidays based in Kathmandu as a provider of customized tours. We had looked on the net to determine the tour we wanted to undertake and spoke to many people and eventually decided 6-day on Ghorepani Poon Hill trek. We live in a plain and therefore training for the trek was a challenge in itself. We spent our weekends climbing up and down a 700metre high hill that was regarded as sufficiently steep for our training needs. However, we were unsure of what to expect in Nepal and were concerned about our levels of fitness for the trek that we had in mind. We were introduced to our guide, Dammaru at the hotel we were staying in Kathmandu and our anxieties were quickly alleviated. This diminutive gentleman exuded confidence and assured us that he was able to accommodate our individual fitness levels and ensure that our time in his country was hassle free. And indeed he did! Without it being particularly noticeable, Dammaru controlled the tempo of our daily treks in order that the enjoyment factor always exceeded any physical discomfort. His relationship with the locals was both real & genuine which meant we never felt like intruders or uncomfortable in their presence. Dammaru's keen negotiation skills with the local tea house proprietors' meant the delay between arriving & unwinding from the challenges of our daily treks was minimal with the accommodation always being appropriate to our needs. His professionalism was faultless. He provided us with a wealth of information on all aspects of the history, culture, flora, and fauna of this remarkable country. Not only was he a fantastic guide, but his cheeky grin and sense of humor ensured Dammaru to be a fantastic traveling companion. Our dealings with Dammaru exceeded all expectations and we hope to make a return visit to this stunningly beautiful country.
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