FROM THE ARCHIVE __________________ September 13, 2011 DASHAIN OR VIJAYA DASHAMI : IN KEEPING THE TRADITION SURROUNDS A QUESTION OF ITS VALIDITY Posted by The Himalayan Voice: [Linguistic anthropologist B. K. Rana, in his article published in 2001 in Kantipur, unfolds the history of Drabya Shah and Prithivi Naryan Shah (Founder of modern Nepal) how those two kings reached to celebrate Vijaya Dashami as their symbolic victory over their enemies. When the Hindu rulers in Nepal defeated the local rulers specially the Magars, mimicked the victory of Rama over Ravana as a great victory celebration. In the context of Nepal, the way it has been viewed as the victory of devas over asuras, victory of satya over asatya, cannot be explained otherway than its celebration of enmity against its own people. In essence it is the wholesome melodrama politically as well as racially profiled against its own people. Rama and Ravana war perhaps did not happen in the land of present Nepal.] By Kishore Sherchand PhD This year too Nepalese folks will be celebrating Vijaya Dashami or Dashain as the most important festival keeping the longest Government holiday, mass sacrificing, visiting seniors to receive blessings and so on. After the Panchayat autocracy, a message of boycotting Vijaya Dashami festival started to float especially among indigenous people - the Janajatis in the country. Many started to raise questions more objectively. Some formally declared boycotting it. Historically, much of its celebration is tied up with the Ramayana the great epic wherein Rama is described as killing Ravana, a historic King of Sri Lanka. The story goes around a war between two rulers, Deva Rama and demon Rakshas (राक्षस) : Ravana. There is no any scientific validity that Ravana was indeed a demon or Rakshas (राक्षस) except for believing that they were two rivals. Before the Indo-Aryan invasion, the Adibashis in the plains of Indian sub-continent were largely believed to be descendents of Dravidian bloods; much darker in color; and by modern racial classification, a separate than Caucasian although there is not much scientific verification to differentiate. However, many of south Indians and Sri Lankan are said to be descendents of Dravids. So, if the demon or Rakshas Ravana is a true story, it should not be imagined other than a true human being (Homo sapiens; 2n=46). The only more plausible explanation of the word demon or Rakshasa in Hindu mythology could apply to whoever viewed as an enemy or you don’t like (implied). The enemies are always thought to be bad and evil. Linguistic-anthropologist B. K. Rana, in his article published in 2001 in Kantipur, unfolds the history of Drabya Shah and Prithivi Naryan Shah (Founder of modern Nepal) how those two kings reached to celebrate Vijaya Dashami as their symbolic victory over their enemies. When the Hindu rulers in Nepal defeated the local rulers specially the Magars, mimicked the victory of Rama over Ravana as a great victory celebration. In the context of Nepal, the way it has been viewed as the victory of devas over asuras, victory of satya over asatya, cannot be explained otherway than its celebration of enmity against its own people. In essence it is the wholesome melodrama politically as well as racially profiled against its own people. Rama and Ravana war perhaps did not happen in the land of present Nepal. We are closer to India and ofcourse familiar with Hinduism and Hindu mythology also. Naturally we know more about Rama’s greatness than that of Ravana. While going to the other side of the world what Sri Lankan people think about this mythology: they have opposite perception over so-called Rakshas (राक्षस) King Ravan. They don’t believe Ravana was a demon or Rakshas (राक्षस).He was a great King of Sri Lanka. The story goes on this way : Sri Lanka was much more developed in those days and used naturally to boast of having Puspak Biman which I refute totally. The modern theory of human evolution does not testify at all other than a mere blind faith and dogmatism. The only plausible explanation should be, more science and technology could have developed. The great Ravana possessed ten talents as depicted having 10 heads than just one head. There is not yet proven evidence of his physical existence in Sri Lanka except in a historically written the Hindu epic. However, there has been some attempt to proving the existence of his dead body lying in an inaccessible cave called Ravana Cave. And they are trying to develop it as a powerful tourist destination. My experience goes all the way back to India while I was a student for my academic career. During my six years education in North West India, I did not even notice when this Dushehara festival fell because they were not celebrating the way they were doing for Deepavali or Tihar. While looking into Tihar, I am not much aware of any portrait of its political and racial motives. I guess it is more colorful and joyful, showing the respects of brotherhood-sisterhood, adoring some animals if not all. It does not show of political implication or enmity against other race, caste, color or creed. From the above, it is said that Vijaya Dashami is a depiction of enmity among rulers, winners and losers, one who defeated and the other who got defeated, an inherent characteristics of power hungry rulers. It is a political celebration. We may even question, “Are we the enemies of Sri Lankan people?” who like so much visiting Nepal and Nepalese people and Lumbini - the Birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama. According to the statistics, last year more Sri Lankans visited Lumbini Nepal than any other third country citizens. The other dark side of this festival is the mass killing (or one may customarily say sacrifice) of animals in the name of worshiping Goddess Durga. People kill and eat meat but not in the name of God which is another most hatred and inhumanistic way how it is being practiced. Many social activists are against mass killing of animals in the name of some sacrifice and consider it as exhibition of animal cruelty, barbarism. Hence, one may outright question about the validity and applicability of Srimatbhagabat, the main source of Hindu Dharma. What the Vedic way of Dharma speaks does not seem to have been applied in the Nepalese society. Things change in perception and in need. It is the dynamics of the law of nature. We ought to be able to separate bad from good whether it is within a faith or between the faiths or any social order. We ought to be able to separate humanistic from inhumanistic actions, beliefs or faiths. It must address the functional aspects of humanity otherwise it will lead to inhuman behavior and social injustice. People can adopt others’ faith, culture and social norms if they speak humanity and a sense of peaceful co-existence. There is no problem to accept Deepawali, Tihar, Sarswati or any other if that justifies the humanistic way of life. If not, people always deserve to question on the validity of Dashain, the greatest festival of Nepalese people. Finally, it is the time that Nepalese people rethink and question even of the status of Vijaya Dashami as a national holiday when other more humanistically inspired festivities are available in the Nepalese Society. @ thehimalayanvoice.blogspot/2011/09/dashain-or-vijaya-dashami-in-keeping.html
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 03:11:31 +0000
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