What’s Dashain like for a vegetarian?

I was just ten years’ old when I decided to become the only vegetarian in my family. Interestingly, no one opposed. I have heard many stories where parents did not permit their kids to be “deprived of animal protein” when they wanted to make that decision. Thankfully, it was not my case. I had a couple of reasons to become a vegetarian.  

In those days, it was a matter of pride for each household to buy at least one live goat for Dashain. As an animal lover, I’d be happy to see goats at our place. I’d pet them despite being frightened by the small but pointed horns. I remember how their voice would change when I'd greet them with a bunch of green leaves. Later, the floor would be all littered with tiny black droppings when they were done eating. 

But my friendship would end on the day of Astami! A large cooking pot would be placed on firewood or stove to boil water. A strong man would show up at our house readying a paste of oil and turmeric and sharpening his Khukuri. Those were enough hints for me to understand that it was the day of slaughter of the poor goat. The goat that was frolicking until the morning would now end up in different forms of meat in the fridge. I could never normalize this idea of eating your own pet. Would anyone think of slaying their puppies or kittens for a variety of meat? And who gives humans the authority to take others' lives? One might argue that it's the nature of the ecosystem but I feel it shows our atrocity over the innocent. I made the decision to stop eating meat. 

I was in grade six then and one day in class, we discussed the poem Paap Laagchha by Laxmi Prasad Devkota. Its lines were simple but very powerful—nachhopnu hai charibari, saraap aansu laagdachha; namaarnu jantu hai kunai, basera kaala jaagdachha—meaning killing birds and animals was a sin and that the sufferings of the animals would haunt you. It was an added inspiration for me to respect everyone’s lives. And then started my journey as a vegetarian. Goat slaughtering at our house was also banned.

So, how has my Dashain been over the past three decades? Well, it’s like anyone else’s except for eating meat. I avoid going to the temples where animal sacrifices are made. I make traditional bottled pickles of overripe cucumber and radish. Instead of meat, I eat cottage cheese or mushrooms for protein. The aroma of guavas are also a reminder of Dashain for me. I play cards with my family, enjoy the bamboo swing, and travel around to see the ripe paddy farms around Kathmandu. Taking a peek every day at the barley seeds sown on the day of Ghatasthapana to see if jamara sprouted or not is another routine for me. Finally, blooming bright marigolds, fragrance of gokul dhup, attempts to fly kites in the blue autumn sky, listening to Dashain music in the mornings, and receiving tika on the main day from elders and counting daskshina at night just like a child give me enough happiness to enjoy Dashain, without eating meat!