The Phoolpati or the saptami.

The Dashain has come and the words of good wishes have brought a lot of excitement on social media including mobile and messenger. However, last year's Dashain has been a bit awkward due to COVID risk but gradually this year is loosening up.

We have heard the news that the bank will not issue new notes this year, the Corona transition has not made it easy to go shopping for Koselipat and gifts, the months-long tragedy and lockdown have hit the economy hard and the world community is struggling with the Corona scare this year.

The students have been studying at home for months now, the holiday season is in full swing, but maybe there is no excitement for Dashain vacation this year. The practice of going to mama's house and grandparent's home is not as comfortable and safe as in other years, this year's human mobility of Dashain is also bounded but the hope and anticipation of a normal Dashain for next are inside every Nepali heart.

How many of you are living abroad remembering Dashain of the last year, how many migrant Nepalis have not been able to go home in Dashain for many years, and counting days on how many years or months are going to go home now? What happened even if you didn't come home in this Dashain and, next Dashain or next year you will come to set foot on the native soil, won't you?

This special day of Saptami is called Phoolpati. On this day, special worship of Goddess Durga's Kalratri form is performed. Black-skinned, black-eyed, with three eyes and four arms, holding a sword, a Masal-bearing ghurmudra, and an Abhay mudra in all four hands respectively. This Goddess killed a demon named "RaktaBeej" which was so powerful that he regained life from every drop of drops of blood falling into the soil.

 कालरात्रि स्तूती मन्त्र ।।
 या देवी सर्वभूतेषु माँ कालरात्री रूपेण संस्थिता
 नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः।।

Mother Ambe, enthroned everywhere as the Goddess Kalratri!
I salute you, give me strength.

From today, traditional Lingeping (Traditional swing made up of green bamboo trees and Khar rope) is established in villages.

The atmosphere in the village is exciting. How many friends, relatives, and loved ones have returned to their villages? Have the city dwellers also returned to the village or not? How many parents, sisters, brothers, and sisters have been waiting with their eyes full of joy.

How boring would our lives be without the holidays? Festivals fill life with a different energy. I will do this after this Dashain, we also have our promises and plans not to do that, let Dashain fulfill everyone's wish. Happy safe Dashain 2021.

Suyog Dhakal