Far from home, Dashain carries a different kind of ache
Summary
A Nepali student in Japan reflects on celebrating Dashain far from home after his father’s death, turning a family festival into a reminder of debt, distance and lost chances. Gathered with friends beside Hiroshima’s Motoyasu River, he finds a temporary family abroad while mourning the home and people left behind.
Key Points
- The writer recalls urging from his father in Nepal to return home for Dashain in 2023, a visit that later became his last festival with him before his death in July 2024.
- In October 2024, Nepali students in Hiroshima celebrated Dashain beside the Motoyasu River, sharing food, tika and companionship far from Nepal.
- The article contrasts life in Nepal and Japan, with home bringing family but little money, and Japan bringing income but deep homesickness and separation.
- The writer says Dashain abroad highlights how people often postpone returning home for work and debt, only to realize the value of family when it is too late.
