I wrote this a few days ago...
You might have noticed at this point that I really like the things in threes - or at least I have surrounded myself with threes. Most of my posts are titled with 3 themes; I am in Nepal for about 3 months; there are 3 kids in my family; there are 3 simple passages of time; there are 3 main goddesses/gods/greater beings in many religions. And currently I am one of 3 people sitting in an internet cafe in Lazimpat, Kathmandu. I guess I have an affinity for groups of 3...
It is holiday/festival season in Nepal (at least in the Hindu religion). Daishan (pronounced dassai) is currently going on and will continue for the next few days. During this time goat become the most endangered species in Nepal - or more correctly, male castrated goats. Everyday on my way to school, I walk past numerous butchering shops (alleyways really) of various animals (buffalo, chickens, etc.), but this week it has been all goats. My friend Komal and I went for a short run this morning and the streets were literally running with blood. My vegetarianism is being validated to an extreme. Lucky my family will not be buying and sacrificing a goat because my aamaa hates goat meat. Other students' homestays are slaughtering today...
There is such things as vegetarian sacrifices. This pujaas (worship practices) during daishan are done with coconuts and and the juice is poured over whatever is being worshiped. For example, yesterday before class started our language gurus showed us a vegetarian pujaa to their motorbikes, bicycles and all the machines around the program house. It was the day of "machine pujaa." Sounds a bit ridiculous, and I definitely cannot imagine seeing anyone cut up a goat and pour the blood over a bike or generator, but it is just what is done here.
Anyway, I have heard Daishan compared to Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter all rolled up in one. It is that huge. In Kathmandu that means that the streets are even busier, the crowds are bigger, and the shopping and consumerism is out of this world. I don't like the consumerism during holiday season in the US and I don't like it here either. But ke garne?! But then the last few days the streets are empty. Yesterday I went for a long walk with my friend Komal in the pouring rain (it was only spitting when we left and since Indra Jatra festival already happened monsoon season is supposed to be over!), and we could walk down the middle of the street like we were in Gambier! It was incredible. And today I was giving offerings by my aamaa and what is called Tikaa (red powder and rice on your forehead) and I walked around all day seeing everyone decked out and wearing Tikaa.
Off to the mountains on Wednesday. We are flying out to Pokhara and then hiking/trekking up to a village called Tuche were we will be living with another family in the village. After four days we will hike some of the Annapurna circuit (which is pretty famous) and then end up in the Tato Paani (a hot springs!). Or at least that is what the syllabus says… a wise man once told me “the best part about a plan is that you can change it.” So we shall see.
I wrote that above part a few days ago… now Wednesday is today so I am off to Pokhara and Mustang! I am looking forward to taking lots of photos! (By the way, I won the Dashain photo contest that our program has with a photo of a “ping” (swing). Check out the photos at the right!
Meghan/ Muna
“Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” - unknown
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