India, and Nepal's Festivals

I got my plane ticket today. I am leaving tomorrow at 2:10pm, so for the airport at about 11:30; and I come back to Nepal on Sunday at 1:20pm. The great thing is it's only a 40 minute flight - vs. a 2 day bus ride! Sweet!
I am going by my self. Some one was possibly going to join me, but it didn't work out. Right now is the festival Dashain, so all Nepalis are very busy with the rituals of the festival.
Dashain is one of the biggest festivals in Nepal, celebrated mostly by Hindus. It reminds me a lot of Christmas. They go to temple and do the religious aspect of it - it is a festival to have the opportunity to repent your sins. The reason it reminds me of Christmas is that during this festival every one goes out and shops and buys new things. People seem much more happy and uplifted - which usually is the case in Christmas (and the getting new things is definitely Christmas!). There are a lot of people out and about, but there are also a lot of shops that are closed. Which is interesting to me, because I see this as an opportunity to make some dough, for those shop keepers. But a lot of people get out of Kathmandu and go to their villages to visit with family. They take Tika - ritual of Hinduism - and eat and pray and laugh and love with their family...which also reminds me of the holidays I celebrate with my family (not so much the Tika and the praying, but everything else :) ). Another ritual aspect of Dashain is the slaughtering of goats. Families will slaughter goats, at the temples or in their own homes, and have the meat and the innards for the entire festival month. They find ways to utilize all of the parts of the animal, which I support. The reason they slaughter goats is it is said that when you slaughter a goat you do it in the presence of the Gods, and therefore you are able to wash away your sins. The more goats a family has, the higher status they have (maybe more sins??? - kidding!). I hate killing animals, but there is something about the ritual aspect that appeals to me. I won't eat goat, and I get sad to see SO many around this week (because I know what is going to happen to them), but some how it seems to be for good of the people. Every one is just so happy and seems so fulfilled these days. It is really a lovely festival. It goes on for 10 days total, 5 more to go. Then there is a 10 day gap until the next largest festival in Nepal, Tigge (butchering the spelling). The later festival is also known as the lighting festival...which I know will really remind me of the Holidays in the States. Everyone puts up 'Christmas' lights and goes around singing and dancing and collecting money, and feasting with family. I am excited about that one, and talking to all of my Nepali friends, this is the festival they are most thrilled by.

I think there will also be a lot going on in Varanasi (I think I spelled it wrong last time) because it is a very religious place. On the Ganges River which always has people swimming, washing away their sins. It sounds like an interesting place. I am really excited actually. I will get back, spend some more time with Amy and her lovely mother and grandmother, and then before I know it TJ will be here (ahhhhh!! yay! )! Right now I feel pretty frantic, just getting my shit together, but I am totally up for the adventure of going to India by myself for 6 days. There is a yoga and meditation center that I plan to go to everyday, and a spa that I might treat myself to a massage at. Also, there might be theatre happening too!! It is during September through October that they perform the Hindi version of Ramayana, one of the most famous and classic Sanskrit plays written. They perform a different part every day, for 30 days. I hope I will be able to see some of it. That would be amazing. I am pretty sure there will be internet there...so I will update when I am there.
Sending you all my love.