Someone longs for the Dakshina (Money received by younger after Tika), someone longs for blessings, new clothes, shoes, and the memory of missing relatives ... maybe! Dashain is a handful of gifts of love, affection, respect, and laughter that may be needed at any time in the past, present, and future. Welcome to this special day of this year’s Dashain Tika.
Having said that, it is important to remember the many obstacles this year, including corona infections, lockouts, global health crises, and lack of mobility and so many others as the aftermath. Dashain may have been a bit hollow, but I hope that in the years to come, we will be able to overcome these hollows, wherever we are, as we are.
Now, let me first explain what is Akshyata in general, Akshyata is a mixture of red abeer, curd, and rice which is mixed, and the colorful mixture is placed on the forehead as an auspicious Dashain gift and followed by blessings. All family member gathers together, worships the deities today and later they worship the main pillar of the house, main entrance and formally starts the Tika process.
Elderly people go to a person older than themselves to get Tika, normally elder one puts Tika to the younger ones. Now this year, the number of people going for Tika has simply decreased, there may be a decrease in the numbers and the availability of the foreheads, but there is certainly no barrier to blessings and remembrance.
This holy festival is not limited to Hinduism but is a traditional festival. It has been celebrated with joy and rejoicing even by Buddhists. The only difference is that Hindus worship the new Durga Bhagwati with a red tika, while Buddhists worship with the white Tika.
Today is Dashami Tithi i.e. the tenth day of Vijayadashami and this day which falls on this day is a word derived from Dashmi and Dussehra. Dussehra means the defeat of Dashanan Ravana (Dashanan means Dus = ten + anan = mouth). Ravana had ten heads and today is celebrated for the victory against him.
it is also mentioned that Durga Bhavani killed an monster named Mahishashur on this day. This atmosphere of Tika, Jamra, and fun is considered as the victory of the gods over the demons, the victory of truth over untruth, and the victory of humanity over the inhuman elements.
Different blessings are given to men and women while applying Tika, let me put the simple meaning of those Mantras here.
Mantra for Male
ॐ
आयू द्रोण सुते, श्रृयं दशरथे शत्रुक्षयं राधवे
ऐश्वर्य नहुषे, गतिश्च पवने, मानं च दूर्योधने ।।
सौर्य शान्तनवे, बलं हलधरे सत्यं च कुन्ती सुते
विज्ञानं विदुरे भवतु भवतां कीर्तिश्च नारायणे ।।
May you live long like the age of Drona's son Asvatthama, may your deeds be famous like of King Dasharatha, may your enemy be diminished like of Lord Rama, May your prosperity be like of King Nahusha, may you attain the speed of Vayu, may you acquire the respect like of Duryodhana.
Be generous like Surya Putra, be strong like Bhima, be truthful like Yudhisthira, be wise like Vidura, be well-known like Narayan.
For Female
ॐ
जयन्ती मङ्गलाकाली,
भद्रकाली कपालिनी।
दुर्गा क्षमा शिवाधात्री,
स्वाहा स्वधा नमोऽस्तुते।
That is the goddess who has the power to conquer the whole world, who can diagnose every darkness, the goddess who is beyond the bounds of time, who wears a garland of human skulls and can diagnose all kinds of misery. O Goddess who protects this world! Accept the devotion offered by your devotee, we bow to you.
Heartfelt congratulations and best wishes on this auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, a symbol of victory of truth over untruth and justice over injustice. Good luck to all, best wishes. May anger, greed, injustice, arrogance, impunity, cruelty, corruption and many forms of Ravan pervade, may hunger and thirst is eradicated from this world, May we all be able to fight this COVID virus.
Devi Bisharjan
ईति सम्प्राथ्र्य देवीं तु तत उत्थापयेद् बुध ।
उत्तिष्ठ देवी चण्डेशि शुभां पूजा प्रगृह च ।।
कुरुष्व मम कल्याणमष्टाभि शक्तिभिःसह ।
गच्छ गच्छ परं स्थानं स्वस्थानं दवि चण्डिके ।।
After worshiping the Goddess on Navratri, the Goddess is formally returned on the day of Dashami. Accepting the worship done on earth, the goddess is called to go to her abode today.
Global Handwashing day 2021
With World Handwashing Day 2021 approaching, there have been some very dramatic changes and gradually the world is getting normal. The world, which has been making strides in globalization with artificial intelligence, space shuttles, etc., has suddenly come to a complete halt this year with the ravages of a virus, and the world is once again in the mood to clean hands, avoid infections and use face masks. Isn't the environment of hand hygiene very important and conceivable this year?
According to statistics, millions of people around the world have died due to various diseases and infections. Remember that diarrhea is still a major cause of death for about 18 million children worldwide each year. It may seem strange to hear that even the practice of handwashing regularly and effectively can save millions of lives. Not just saving lives but also controlling the transmission of deadly viruses like COVID 19, hand washing now has even more importance in the post-COVID new normal.
On average, one in three newborns in the world is infected with diarrhea. Proper handwashing, use of clean water, and effective use of soapy water will keep the hands clean and prevent diarrhea. In the beginning, it was customary in Nepali society to wash hands with mud or ash water, but soap water is more effective than clay or ash water.
Keeping this fact in mind, World Handwashing Day is celebrated on October 15 every year to raise awareness of hygiene and health for all children and the elderly in the world. This day has been celebrated since 2008. In Nepal too, this day is celebrated grandly with the meaningful participation of the Government of Nepal, the Ministry of Health, and various other non-governmental organizations.
According to the World Health Organization, hand washing is essential in the following situations:
After going to the toilet and touching the baby's nappy or throwing away their excrete, before eating and eating, before cooking, after touching raw food or before and after meeting patients, after smoking, after touching garbage or working in the garden, after touching animals.
How to wash hands?
First, soak your hands in clean water.
Apply soap on hands, soak in soapy water for at least 20 seconds.
Grind both the hands together and bring the soap to the fingertips
When washing in this way, the back of the hand, under the nail tips, the cut of the finger, and the wrists are to be washed. When washing in this way, remove the rings and watch and clean the hands.
It is usually more important to use tap or fountain water than to use reserved water when washing hands. Remember, germs are everywhere and we can't see these germs. These germs make us sick. Washing our hands with soap and water protects us from disease or infection. It would be wiser to avoid such diseases by washing your hands than to stay in the hospital due to infection of various diseases due to not washing your hands.
International Day of Rural women 2021: " Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All.”
Rural Women's Day is celebrated with the sacred spirit of bringing limited rural women to a place where they can play an important role in the family and society. Another major purpose of the day is to help rural women reduce poverty by participating in income-generating activities other than household chores.
According to the decision of the United Nations to celebrate this day on December 18, 2007, the process of celebrating this day has started globally from October 15, 2008.
Respecting the role of rural women in Nepal, this day has been celebrated since 2070 BS. As economic, environmental, and social change is needed for sustainable development, the United Nations is of the view that rural women should be the key representatives. In developing countries like Nepal, women do not have adequate access to wealth, health, and education. Recognizing rural women as capable citizens through empowerment is believed to bring prosperity to the family and the country as a whole. The hashtag #Ruralwomen will be used by social media users around the world today.
Women have largely contributed a lot to the development of the rural economy. In particular, women make significant contributions to food production, livestock, domestic labor management, and water and food management. Besides, women have the greatest responsibility in caring for the children, senior citizens, and patients in the family.
These roles have justified women's equal participation in open opportunities with traditional responsibilities. Women's participation has become very loud in Nepal. Not only in the urban areas but also the small-scale development projects reaching the villages, the policy of mandatory participation of women has brought awareness among the rural women.
Unless adequate and meaningful efforts for the development of rural women, the country will not develop. The development of more than half of the women is an essential aspect especially for a nation like Nepal. This is why this day is largely important for a developing nation like Nepal.
Existing social inequality, economic and cultural differences between men and women remain. That is why the balanced and sustainable development of the nation cannot be accepted without the equal participation of men and women.
Due to various movements and campaigns, the United Nations celebrated 1975 as the United Nations Women's Year. Similarly, various declarations were issued declaring the period from 1975 to 1985 as Women's Decade. Efforts were made for gender equality, promotion, and women's empowerment in line with the Millennium Development Goals from 2000 to 2015.
Accordingly, separate programs and plans have been formulated and implemented in underdeveloped countries like Nepal.
Suyog Dhakal
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