Abhishek Agrawal
Published: October 15, 2008

DUBUQUE- For some Loras students, October is not just for trick-or-treaters. It is a 15 day celebration of Dashain, a Nepalese festival that is an emotional journey back to their traditional roots.

Bishal Thakuri, a senior at Loras from Nepal, wanted to bring a slice of Nepalese tradition to Dubuque.

“We organized this event so that the people who are far away from their home and family could celebrate it like its celebrated back home,” said Thakuri.

He’s talking about Dashain; the biggest festival in Nepal about the triumph of good over evil.

The students from Nepal celebrated Dashain last week in Rohlman Hall on the Loras Campus.

The story of Dashain stems from a Hindu legend about a battle between the goddess Durga and a demon named Mahisasur. On the 10th day, the goddess was triumphant, symbolizing that good conquers evil.

Although it was emotional for those who were far from their family, they found a new community to celebrate the festival with.

“When I celebrate Dashain I feel like I am in my home and Loras is my home away from home,” said Utsaha Maharjan, a Loras student from Nepal.

It was an enjoyable experience, even for those who had never celebrated it before.

As a German I obviously had no idea what Dashain was all about, but I had a great time and I got so much culture and was introduced to so many traditional things that are come in Nepal; that carry so much value for the Nepalese students,” said Christian Helmholz, a Loras student from Germany.

The students accomplished their goal of bringing a piece of their homeland to the Loras College campus.

“We wanted to raise awareness in the Loras community,” said Thakuri.

Abhishek Agrawal can be reached at Abhishek.Agrawal@loras.edu