Sunday, October 12, 2014

Nepal's Biggest Festival Dashain Celebrated in Portland, America

Dr Rabin Man Shakya


Receiving Tika & Blessings


Portland, Oct 12 (Nepal Oregon News): News reports of Dashain being celebrated by  Nepalese communities across the world have been emerging in the digital and social media. Dashain or Bijaya Dashami or Mohani Nakha is the most important cultural event for the Nepalese people and more so for the Nepalese living abroad. In fact, Dashain is a solemn occasion for the Nepalese community across the world to have a gathering or reception.

It is to be noted that Nepalese Hindus celebrate Bijaya Dashami as the day of victory of Goddess Durga Bhavani over the powerful but evil demon Mahishashur, whereas Nepalese Buddhists observe Mohani Nakha to commemorate Emperor Ashoka's adoption of non-violence and Buddhism.

Dashain, a festival of victory of the truth over the evils, was celebrated in Portland too by various organizations, such as, Nepalese Association of Oregon (NAO) on Saturday and Nepa Chhen (NC) on Friday.

A potluck reception was organized on Friday by Nepa Chhen at Nekusing Memorial Theater, West Coast Hollywood Taekwondo in Portland, Oregon to celebrate Bijaya Dashami . About 80 people from different ethnic communities and different walks of life from among the Nepali diaspora attended the reception. Some American guests  were also present on the occasion.

On the occasion, Dashain Tika along with Jamara was offered to the guests by septuagenarian Nepalese community members. There were plenty of delicious Nepalese food, songs, dances and music. The center of attraction, however, was the Nepalese music band in Portland "Manda".

It is to be noted that Nepa Chhen, a cultural center for Nepalese community in Oregon, was established in November, 2012 in Portland with the objectives of enhancing and enriching artistic and cultural activities related to Nepal. Until recently, Nepa Chhen was, pretty much, an obscure organization, but thanks to different activities, Nepa Chhen is slowly gathering momentum. Nevertheless, Nepa Chhen has to go a long way before becoming a household name among the Nepalese community members in Oregon.

Efforts and activities to celebrate cultural festivals, to enhance culture and traditions of our multi-ethnic nation is always commendable and praise-worthy, and this kind of activism needs a core strategy, needs to be well-focused, needs more broad-based participation.



Performance of Nepali Songs

Group Photo
Members & Advisers of Nepa Chhen






(Rabin Man Shakya is a Nepali journalist in USA)

No comments:

Post a Comment

First Chudakarma Ceremony Held at Portland's Newar Buddhist Temple

 Rabin Man Shakya Portland, Feb 18 (Nepal Oregon News): Chudakarma ceremony of Siddhartha Muni Shakya (son of Aniruddha Muni Shakya and Shar...