Introduction
In this digital era, the world is moving forward very quickly and growing fast, and people are in a race to go along with the world.
But there are some rituals and cultural festivals like Ashar 15 which take us back to those memories when there were no digital gadgets and no need for digital equipment to enjoy the work and to connect to their soil and roots.
Known by other Names
One of those festivals is Ashar 15. This day is now known by many other names as well, like Ropain Diwas, Dhaan Diwas, and National Rice Plantation Festival or National Paddy Day.
Back in the aforementioned decades, the maximum population of Nepal used to be farmers, and even in this modernized day, the maximum population of Nepal still depends on farming.
When to Celebrate
Rice planting is best in the rainy season, and most of the time, the rainy season begins in the Ashar month (according to the Bikram Sambat Calendar), June-July according to the English Calendar.
It is not necessary that people start rice planting on Ashar 15. That is totally dependent on rain. It could be sooner or later as well.
Traditional Food
But people still celebrate this day to mark Ashar 15, and they eat local food, mainly Dahi chiura (yogurt and bitten rice), and they sing folk songs and dance. People believe Dahi chiura is healthy and gives the energy to work hard and digest easily, so Dahi chiura is the main food to celebrate Ahar 15.
And they commit that this is the celebration day and from tomorrow onward we have to work really hard, even in the rainy season, which is the best season for rice plantation.
How to do work
This season, the majority of rural residents who are able to work are engaged in rice planting, which they thoroughly enjoy.
Traditionally, men and women are involved in this work, with men plowing the field and women planting the rice plant.
People enjoy this work; people throw mud at each other and sing folk songs and dance. The work also connects the people with each other and to their soil and roots.