Dashain is coming near, But Pockets and Pantries Remain Empty

Kathmandu. As Dashain approaches, many Nepali singers are releasing festive songs on YouTube. Several new songs are still in the process of being launched, with some even climbing YouTube’s trending charts. These songs capture different emotions, from the joy of homecoming to the struggles of those stuck abroad.

In the song ‘Aayo Hai Dashain Aayo’, sung by Purushottam Paudel and Sunita Budha Chhetri, the conversation between a migrant worker returning home for Dashain and the family waiting for him is beautifully portrayed. The migrant says:

"I feel the joy rising in my heart,

After five years, I'm returning to Nepal,

Dashain has come, it’s here,

I just want to sing and dance."

Meanwhile, his wife back home replies:

"I keep changing the calendar on the wall,

I keep waiting, staring at your path,

Dashain has come, it’s here,

I just want to sing and dance."

While some are lucky enough to return home for Dashain, others remain stuck abroad. This is the theme of the song ‘Pardeshi Harayo’ by Rishi Khadka and Tulsi Bik. The pain of not being able to return for Dashain is evident in the lyrics:

"I thought I’d be home this time, but here I am again,

Another year has passed, and I’m still away,

Dashain has come, Tihar has come,

But the migrant is missing."

The sorrow of waiting for a loved one who’s abroad is further expressed:

"You’re in Hong Kong or Malaysia,

Here at home, the barley is sprouting,

Dashain has come, Tihar has come…"

Another song that’s winning over audiences is ‘Aaunthyo Dashain Auna Ta’ by Hemant Sharma and Melina Rai. Released nine days ago, this song has already garnered over 1.2 million views on YouTube, making it the second most-watched Dashain song this year.

Similarly, singers Ishwor Singh and Sunita Budha Chhetri bring us ‘Haase Pugchha, Bole Pugchha’, a Dashain song that captures the festive mood.

‘Shubhkamana Dashain Ko’, sung by Basanta Thapa, Kulendra Bishwakarma, Pashupati Sharma, and Samiksha Adhikari, has also recently been released, resonating with today’s Nepali society. Many of these Dashain songs reflect the mood of the times, like the song ‘Samjhana Gaun Ghar’ by Amrit Baral and Ranjita Bishwakarma, which speaks of the longing for home:

"Some are at home, some are far away,

But wherever we are, let’s celebrate,

Here comes the festival season,

Here comes the memory of our village."

These songs capture the mixed emotions of joy, homesickness, and the challenges of celebrating Dashain in today’s world, whether at home or abroad.