Save Mountains, Save The World

The word 'Dashain' can be very tempting to everybody who celebrates this festival. In my case, there are so many memories related to Dashain. There are many religious and mythological stories of Dashain, but usually this is a time of family reunion, fun, feasting, and taking blessings from elderly family members and relatives. Comparatively, this is the longest festival celebrated in Nepal as it lasts for 15 days.

We are in the middle of Dashain right now, but sadly this year I have not been as enthusiastic as I used to be in the past years. I have not gotten over of the tragedy that we faced last month due to the Bhotekoshi flash floods. When I think of the people who were directly affected by this fatal calamity, my heart goes out to them. It is assumed that still more than 5,000 individuals are missing and their families have a faint hope that they may return home anytime. The nation had lost a huge human capital - there were many engineers, government officials, entrepreneurs, teachers, students and others who were swallowed by the floods in no time. More than 1400 people are recorded as dead. From those who succeeded in surviving, more than 8,000 households are displaced and accommodated in different shelters. 

Blow of nature 

Considering the upcoming festivals like Dashain and Tihar, the government had planned to hand over a house to them so that they could celebrate the festivals in a homely environment. People were slowly adapting to their changed lifestyle, then once again another blow of nature was sent towards them. We had to face yet another flash flood in Budhi Gandaki River, Gorkha. However, no casualties have been officially confirmed yet; five people remain missing. This flood has also displaced more than 400 households. Amidst such chaotic situations, how can one celebrate Dashain in a normal way?