Submit your Article

Artists, despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, utilized this time at home to create new pieces of art. As a result, this Dashain we will be flooded with exhibitions, from virtual to in-person, and many of us will have the opportunity to showcase and sell our works.

One thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of great artworks have come out during the pandemic and that has helped us sustain the industry. A list of great books for art in general, and also sculpture art, painting, traditional art, ancient art, architecture, and books about creativity, scripture, and many more have hit the market. Sales have picked up as well, as art lovers and collectors can finally visit exhibitions. 

During the pandemic, many galleries, especially in Thamel, couldn’t gather as many people as they did before. The works of artists who have already earned a name were easily sold, while those struggling to make their artworks stand out couldn’t do so.

Now with the Covid-19 restrictions being relaxed, we recently organized an exhibition at my gallery where we put up artworks by five different artists.The outcome was overwhelming; most of the pieces, including four of my own, were sold. Virtual exhibitions are also being organized and sales are going up. This was also visible at the recent exhibitions at Siddartha Art Gallery and Kala Premi.

The market is slowly waking up and, in this season of festivities, we are optimistic that more local artists will be able to showcase their works. We plan on working on more creations in this time of transition, so the next couple of months will see a flurry of bigger exhibitions.

Also read: Dashain: Then and now

We are also hopeful that more Nepali people will buy pieces of art this year. Before the pandemic, most consumers of this industry were foreigners as painting and sculptures are expensive for many middle-class Nepalis. With the travel ban, we lost most of our clients and that too contributed to the slow movement of the market in the past one and a half years.

There are, however, comparatively more Nepalis willing to buy locally created art than was the case pre-pandemic. We see that as progress and are working on creating an easy-to-use, accessible, and affordable platform for local people who want to buy works of art. We have found works of art such as chains and paperweights are more affordable to local clients.

My goal now is to open a private museum. Over the years, I’ve loved collecting paintings from different reputed artists. I realize there still aren’t many private museums in our country, and I plan on opening one soon.

Similarly, now, more and more colleges are recruiting fine arts teachers at the plus-two level. More youths have a space to pursue fine arts from a young age. We are also campaigning on incorporating art as a compulsory subject for all school students.

I hope after Dashain the market will continue to boom and more local artists can sell their work. In order to promote local art, our goal is ‘one house, one painting’. We believe if every house has at least one painting instead of printed posters, we will get a step closer to promoting art and appreciating the efforts of the artists.

Time brings many changes and while that is mostly good and perhaps the only way forward, you wish some things would remain the same. Dashain seems to evoke that sentiment. Most people ApEx spoke to confessed that there was a time when Dashain was highly anticipated and while it’s still a fun festival, the vibe just isn’t the same. The unanimous opinion was that our memories of Dashain are far more heartwarming than how we celebrate the festival these days.

Ujjal Rayamajhi, food technologist, says Dashain is the only time he gets to go on a mini-vacation with his family so it’s more of an opportunity to rest, recharge, and reconnect than anything else. This time, he is planning a trip to Sauraha, Chitwan before the holidays are over and he has to get back to the daily grind. However, Dashain had a different appeal when he was growing up. He fondly remembers all the fun he used to have during Dashain as a child and says he misses that.

“Dashain holidays were all about meeting cousins, playing games, and eating a lot of meat,” he says. While he still does that, he laments the charm is lost and that he partakes in the rituals more out of a sense of responsibility than for enjoyment. Kiran Shrestha, of Action Waste Pvt. Ltd, says as you age, bogged down by chores and work, you are always occupied with one thing or the other. You are unable to unwind and appreciate the little things, which is why Dashain, and other festivals too, lose their appeal. When he thinks back to his school days, he recalls relishing the festive feel and being really happy during this time.

“There used to be kite-flying competitions in my neighborhood and I used to wait for a kite to fall so that I could run after it,” he says. He also recalls sitting on his sister’s lap on the large swings built especially for Dashain as he used to be too scared to get on them alone. Dashain brings back fond memories and though things might have changed, he wishes to indulge in the activities he did when he was child once more. But this is going to be a working Dashain for Shrestha as his company wants to make the most of the holiday season to clean up their localities after the recent waste-management fiasco. Responsibilities take precedence as you get older, he says.

Also read: Restarting of physical classes bodes well

But life is what you make of it, argues Pinky Gurung, president of the Blue Diamond Society. Everybody needs and deserves a break and Dashain provides the perfect excuse for it. Gurung loves the Dashain ambience—it makes her happy and hopeful. Everything about this time of the year—the melodious music (mangal dhun), the breezy weather, and the busy markets with festive sales—is just so soothing, she says. “I feel people are a lot more amicable and respectful towards one another during this season.”

She feels there’s a lot to be joyful about and it’s not that difficult to get into the festive spirit when you are surrounded by it. But Dashain today definitely isn’t like Dashain before; it hasn’t been for a while, she adds. Earlier, festivals were generally a rather communal affair, especially in villages where people came together to celebrate special events. Theater artist Deepmala Pariyar recalls Dashain in her village in Hetauda during her childhood days. She says the festival used to be fun and eventful. Regular life was suspended for a few days and you could do anything you wished. Dashain chores felt like fun park activities, she says.

Preparations for the festival, adds Pariyar, used to start a month before tika day. The focus would be on decorating homes with bright colors. There used to be an undeclared competition of sorts to see which house was decked up in the prettiest way possible. The artist remembers it as a time everything seemed at its very best, with people’s mood matching the merry environment.

“I used to look forward to my parents coming home for Dashain. They would bring me new clothes. It’s a tradition I still give continuity to, even though I buy new clothes round the year. I get clothes for my nephews now during Dashain,” she says. This, is her way of holding on to little things that spark joy.

Though people might not indulge in the same activities that they once did, they definitely look forward to the family gatherings that Dashain has always been about. Meenashi Pokhrel, counseling psychologist, says Dashain brings people together. “We get to meet all those who we have not met for a long time,” she says. Pokhrel, who is getting married this Dashain, has always looked forward to the festival as a time to bond with her cousins and relatives.

Gurung of BDS feels Dashain provides the perfect opportunity to make up for past mistakes and let go of grudges and discords. “Everything is so resplendent that you just can’t stay upset. Also, our memories of Dashain that we shared with our loved ones make it easy for us to let go of the past and begin anew,” she concludes.

Until a couple of years ago, Dashain used to provide much-needed relief for students as well as teachers. The festival provided quality time for refreshment for everyone.

But this Dashain, all students and teachers are already on a long break—they have been working from home for more than a year and a half. This break has created a void in interpersonal connections and one-on-one communication. Guardians, teachers, and students have been fed up with the Covid-19 restrictions.

The situation is still not entirely under control, but we have seen a lot of positives ahead of this Dashain. Many schools have reopened and people have returned to their daily lives. Other schools, however, are yet to get the green light from the local governments. Even those that have started physical classes are doing so in shifts.

Also read: No political joy this Dashain

This long break has affected the habits of many students. They need some time to get back to the habit of going to school. So, reopening schools, even for a couple of days before the holiday, could help students. Moreover, we have to think of teachers too who have been working hard without enough pay. 

Despite many hurdles, all of us in this sector are optimistic about the reopening of physical classes. The grand festival has brought the market back on track. We can see movement all around.

But at the back of our mind there is always that fear: could we face another Covid-19 wave? Are we ready to fight the virus again? I don’t think we can take that chance. 

The Newa community celebrates Mohani, which coincides with Dashain, as one of their most important festivals. The festival marked for 15 days by worshiping the Astamatrika goddesses has many parallels with Dashain.

Dashain, as it falls after the end of Indra Jatra, also marks the end of the plantation season and the start of autumn. It is free time for the Newa community and they take this time to worship.

According to cultural expert Om Prasad Dhaubhadel, the name ‘Mohani’ refers to a black tika made by the Newa people that is believed to have the power of putting others under one’s control.

The celebration of Mohani dates back to the Licchhavi period (400-750 CE) when the Valley was still divided into many kingdoms. Statues and sculptures of the nine deities of goddess Durga and Astamatrika were put up around the kingdoms to protect people from enemies and intruders. They worshiped the goddesses to get the power to fight and take control during an enemy attack.

Mohani begins with the planting of barley seeds in the Agam Chhen, the room where the deities are worshipped, in every household. The barley grows into jamara in the next nine days. “We dedicate a day each to worship an Astramatrika goddess throughout Mohini,” says Dhaubadel.

On the first day, devotees visit the Bramhayeni temple to worship the goddess. On the second day, the goddess Maheshwari is worshipped. Goddess Kumari and Bhadrakali are worshipped on the third and fourth days respectively. On the fifth and sixth days of Mohani, Barahi and Indrayani are worshipped. On the seventh day, Mahakali is the one worshipped.

On the eighth day, goddess Mahalaxmi is worshiped and the entire family comes together to celebrate and observe a grand feast. This day is called ‘Kuchhi Bhwey’ in Newari where ‘Kuchhi’ refers to mana, a traditional Newari measuring instrument and ‘Bhwey’ refers to a feast. In the old days, it used to be a challenge for a normal family to afford beaten rice. So this day ensures that everyone has at least one or two mana of beaten rice once a year.

Also read: Cautiously optimistic on corona

“In the earlier times, there was a practice of eating the feast on turmeric leaves and we used to hear stories of how turmeric leaves would turn into plates of gold the next day,” says 49-year-old Bhubaneshwori Dangol, a resident of Sanepa, Lalitpur. “But now we only add a piece of turmeric leaf on the plate to honor our ancestors.

On the ninth day, the Tripura Sundari goddess is worshiped. This day is called ‘Syakwa Tyakwa’ and the Newa people perform Tampujaya (worship of their possessions and vehicles).

On the tenth day, also called Chala, the elders of the family put Mohani, the black tika, over red tika on the forehead and jamara on the ears of the younger members of the family to give blessings.

“During Mohani, we prepare all kinds of dishes for the feasts from different kinds of meat, beaten rice, a large variety of vegetables, achaar, choila, dhyakla, wa, and many more,” says Dangol.

Until the 15th day, people go for Nakhatya (feast) at their familys’ and friends’ homes to put on Mohini and tika, and to feast together.

“I think what makes Dashain special and stand out is how people of different communities have found a way to celebrate and present their art, culture, and traditions in their own unique way,” says 26-year-old Shreyashka Maharjan, student of Sociology and Cultural Photographer. “It's the same with Mohani, but what is different is that different Newa communities have their own way of celebrating,” he adds.

In Patan, the centuries-old Astamarika dance called Ga Pyakkan, one of the most artistic dances of the Valley, is performed during Mohini.

In Kathmandu, Pachali Bhairabh Jatra is organized on the sixth day of Mohani by the Jyapu community. In Bhaktapur, the Khadga Jatra begins on Biyaja Dashami whereby every family uses a khagda (scimitar with a thick long blade) to slice vegetables as sacrifice.

“For Newars, Mohani is a huge affair for showcasing their culture, and various aspects of their histo