(Pictured at right - Nepali tea workers picking tea in the Pandam tea estate about 3,000 feet below the city of Darjeeling in a valley near the Rungdung river)
A few weeks ago we woke up one morning in a different city. At least that is how it seemed to us. During the monsoon season, late May to early September, Darjeeling is usually cloaked by enormous rain clouds that pile up against the Himalayas like a five o'clock traffic jam. Even with an umbrella and rain jacket it is impossible to not get drenched by rain blowing in sideways and sometime straight up from underneath. After three months of living in the clouds, all of our furniture, clothes, shoes, and anything else that absorbs water smelled moldy and musty. We were starting to wonder if the sun would ever shine again.
Then one day we got up, looked out our window, and saw the Himalayas bathed gloriously in golden sunlight. It was like someone simply turned the faucet off. And just as quickly as the monsoon had arrived, the monsoon left. It still rains quite often now, but not everyday all day long.
The blue sky and warm sunshine has been good for the soul, and people in Darjeeling generally seem happier now. People are starting to spend more time outside now just sitting and chatting with one another. More and more tourists are arriving each day. Shop owners are gearing up for the October festivals and pujas (Hindu worship rituals). Families are anticipating visits from loved ones and friends. It feels like Darjeeling has woken up from a long nap.
Late September through early November is a special time for the Nepali Hindus. They celebrate a number of pujas as well as the multi-day festivals of Dassera and Diwali. Dassera commemorates the mythical victory of Prince Rama over the demon king Ravana in the epic battle between good and evil related in the ancient Ramayana. Diwali is known as the festival of lights, and many other mythical stories will be told and celebrated through rituals and offerings to the gods.
The blue sky and warm sunshine has been good for the soul, and people in Darjeeling generally seem happier now. People are starting to spend more time outside now just sitting and chatting with one another. More and more tourists are arriving each day. Shop owners are gearing up for the October festivals and pujas (Hindu worship rituals). Families are anticipating visits from loved ones and friends. It feels like Darjeeling has woken up from a long nap.
Late September through early November is a special time for the Nepali Hindus. They celebrate a number of pujas as well as the multi-day festivals of Dassera and Diwali. Dassera commemorates the mythical victory of Prince Rama over the demon king Ravana in the epic battle between good and evil related in the ancient Ramayana. Diwali is known as the festival of lights, and many other mythical stories will be told and celebrated through rituals and offerings to the gods.
For Nepali Hindu families, October is very much like December for Americans because it is the one time of the year when relatives who live and work abroad come together in mass to celebrate and give gifts. Idols of Hindu deities will be draped in wreaths of marigolds. The sweet stench of incense will draw devotees to various temples and high places. Decadent sweets made from milk, sugar, and various spices will be offered to the gods and shared among friends. Everyone will wear brightly-colored costumes, and neon blinking lights will light up the city at night. For the Nepali people, October is a feast for the senses.
We are just happy to feast on the blue sky, golden sunshine, green valleys, and white-capped mountain peaks that our Creator has given us to enjoy.
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