Sept 20: Resettled Bhutanese refugees in different parts of United States of America have decided to mark great Hindu festival Dashain, which began from Saturday, on their tradition styles.
At a time when almost 17,600 refugees have been resettled in USA, preparations for the celebration of Dashain festival are underway in different states.
Resettled Bhutanese in Dallas city of Texas are celebrating the festival by organising get together program on Sunday, which is expected to be attended by an estimated eighty families in a hall. According to L.B. Subba, a member of the Bhutanese Community in Dallas (BCD), also the organiser of the function, they will perform Durga Puja and a special and organised cultural show will rock the hall.
Similar to that of Texas, under the initiative of Bhutanese Mutual Assistance Association of Tucson (BMAAT), refugees in Tucson city of Arizona State are celebrating the festival on the same day where an estimated four hundred people are having get together program in a hall. BMAAT has expected to attract even Mayor, representatives from the resettlement agencies, police and community people towards their program. DB Adhikari, the chief of BMAAT informed BNS that depending on the status of the person, at least 15 US dollar is being charged for each family for the celebration.
Despite busy schedules here, Bhutanese community in Kentucky is celebrating the festival by organizing three days Durga Puja and teeka offering function from September 26-28 in an open ground in Louisville where bhajan and kirtan along with various cultural performances will be conducted.
People in Chicago city of Illinois State are also preparing for the get together program on Saturday in a hall followed by teeka offering program in a park on the next day. BNS source in Illinois said the community will also declare the formation of Chicago Bhutanese Community for the betterment of Bhutanese in the area. Mahendra Kafle informed BNS that there will be cultural program and thanks giving to resettlement agencies and the supporters in the city.
Gopal Samal informed BNS that Bhutanese Community of Georgia is also preparing for celebrating the festival by having get together on Saturday, which will be participated by estimated 3000 refugees resettled in Atlanta city.
In Seattle city of Washington, as per Som Acharya, they are planning to celebrate the festival in a hall by conducting Durga puja and cultural program where dances and songs giving the insignia of Nepali culture and tradition will be performed on Saturday. A committee has been formed there for the management of the function.
Hari Khanal from Massachusetts said that due to the small figure of population in this State, they will celebrate in a simple and common style by receiving blessings and teeka from the elder ones.
Dhaka Ram Timsina from Michigan informed BNS that they are preparing for the celebration in a hall where they will be having blessings and teeka offered by the elders. He further informed maximum people in the State have decided to manage the half-day holiday for the celebration of the festival.
In some of the States, people are also planning to celebrate the festival by visiting the nearby Hindu temples to receive the teeka.
Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival celebrated by a vast majority of Nepali-ethnic community around the world. The goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing. Dashain commemorates a great victory of the gods over the wicked demons.
By Tri Bikram Adhikari/BNS
Kentucky, USA
