By Sampada Anuranjanee Khatiwada
Kathmandu, Oct. 29: Dashain, the biggest festival of Nepali Hindus, has been marked across the nation. Celebration of the 10-day long festival usually involves reuniting with the families and relatives, eating meat and other delicacies, worshipping Navadurga, receiving Tika and blessings from the elders and offering the same to the younger family members. But this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nepalis across the nation observed a socially-distanced Dashain, with festivities limited within their homes.
From the President and Prime Minister to public figures, actors and the general public, everyone was seen offering and receiving Tika by wearing masks, following all the safety measures. Owing to the increasing threat of spread of the novel coronavirus, many people, via social media platforms, had issued a notice requesting their relatives to not visit them during the festival.
Laxmi Dhakal, 93, of Samakhusi, said, "Due to my old age and health condition, I have been told that contracting the virus could be fatal for me. Ever since the lockdown was announced, I have not stepped out from my house while my children and grandchildren who step out to attend work or run errands have been maintaining distance with me by adopting all the safety measures."
Dhakal's son had posted a notice on Facebook appealing people to not visit his mother during Tika in order to maintain her good health. "We avoided gatherings and festivities this year. I couldn’t offer Tika and blessings even to my married daughter," she added.
Nonagenarian Dhakal said that she had not experienced such joyless Dashain in her entire life. "It almost felt like the entire nation was in mourning. However, health should always be our first priority. If we remain sound and healthy, we can celebrate Dashain next year with even more joy," she added. As the infections in the Kathmandu Valley have been on the rise in recent times, only a few people returned to their hometown this Dashain.
"Due to the dangerous state of Kathmandu amid the COVID-19 pandemic, me along with my family decided to not go to my village in Nuwakot for Dashain celebration," said Arjun Khanal, 36, a banker. "We might be able to fight the infection even if we contract the virus but we cannot put health and lives of our old parents at risk. Thus, we decided to limit our celebrations within our rented flat." “Although it didn’t feel like Dashain and we couldn't reunite with our extended family and relatives, it was for the good of my family,” Khanal added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Rabindra Pandey, a public health specialist, said that the experts anticipated rise in COVID-19 tally during the Dashain festival. "As the festival calls for human movement, gatherings, parties and many more, the government, doctors and public figures, among others, had been requesting to compromise on festivities this year." Due to the COVID-19 scare, majority of people didn’t return to their hometown, no human movement was seen within the valley and people took special care of the senior citizens in their families making sure that they are not exposed to the virus, he added. "I am hopeful that Tihar and Chhath will also be celebrated in the same way."
Dr. Pandey said that the festival was marked by adopting health safety protocols with masks on. "The last day of Dashain, Tika day, was supposed to be risky for the transmission of the virus as it requires close contact between people. But the Dashain pictures floating all over social media platforms show everyone marking that day by wearing masks."
He added that Nepalis' Dashain celebration this year reflected that the awareness level of the citizens had increased. "If we follow all the safety protocols in the same way in the days to come, we will definitely be able to secure our win against COVID-19."