Daishan - Louis Boyang

      Daishan is the most important festival in Nepal. People return back to the country from various places to celebrate the holiday. the holiday consists of a total of 15 days. The most important of them are the first, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth.
      On the first day of the festival, someone will place a Kalash (a pot) in the center of a large sand block. The Kalash will hold holy water. The holy water will be covered with cow dung and then sprinkled with barley seeds.
       On the seventh day, a major celebration is held. the Kalash, banana stalks, Jamara, and sugar cane are brought by Brahmins (people of high standing in the caste system) from the former kingdom Gorkha.
       On the eighth day, sacrifices will be made of goats, hens, ducks, and buffaloes to the goddess Kali. At the end of the day, 54 buffaloes will be sacrificed along with 54 goats. At the end of the ceremony, families will take home the meat, serve it on tiny leaf plates to the household gods and then the family will eat.
        On the 9th day, official military sacrifices will be held in one of the Hanuman Dokha palaces. Artisans, craftsmen, traders, and mechanics will sacrifice animals and will put animal blood on their own vehicles and tools. They will also worship the god Vishvakarman on that day. 
         On the tenth day, yogurt vermillion, and rice will be mixed together and made by the women. the mixture is called "Tika". Elders will put tika on the forehead of younger people. 
          On the very last day, people will worship the goddess Laxmi. It is said that the people that stay up during the night will be given wealth and prosperity. Most people that celebrate the festival will just stay up all night playing cards and other games. 
           This celebration, Daishan, is filled with all types of interesting and cultural things. I would love to travel to Nepal because of how amazing the country is. If I was in Nepal, I would celebrate the festival. Would you?