Editorial . October . 2016

Mood swings with Dashain

My fervor for Dashain always starts peeking a month early, even before Indra Jatra arrives. The Dashain induced nostalgia is ever present when the ten day long festival is slowly nearing, the overwhelming smell of guavas, the refreshing spring breeze, the flight of kites in the sky, families chit-chatting, old songs, idle warm afternoons. My mood starts to lighten up and gradually gets intoxicated with Dashain excitement. It makes me feel ‘happy go lucky.’
But it’s not just me who keeps the count; there is my dad spending long hours figuring out what new delicacy should he cook this time; my mom, who is always worried about her perfection in making khasi ko masu (goat meat), “What if the meat gets hard,” and way ahead of time, she starts practicing her forte. While my elder sister becomes overtly particular on Dashain for cleaning her car and her room. It’s a time when she comes up with all the crazy and wonderful ideas to decorate the house. 
Meanwhile, my list of things to do for Dashain grows wilder with each passing day. 
Here at ECS, Dashain has come early for the team. Work has been callous, with the strange mix of ambitions to finish everything before Dashain celebrations and the indolence that unwittingly creeps in, when you know something as delightful as this festival is waiting round the corner; our hunt for stories despite this has left us in a state of half misery, half revelry. All in a good way. 
In this issue, we have put together this essence of Dashain, stories of the most colloquial connotations of Dashain, of festive nostalgia and longing. Stories about Dashain Tika, the taste of Dashain, of the heavy feast and sweets, of adventure holiday plans. 
I hope this package of ‘Bada Dashain’ entertains you. 
Happy Dashain! 
Lastly, I will end with recommending you this lovely song that I cannot stop humming to: 

Dashain nai hoki yo mero Dasha farki aaayeko!
Dashain nai hoki yo mero Dasha farki aaayeko!
Pasal lai Picche mero kina tauko khayeko!
Dashain aayeko! Dashain Aayeko!

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