ShareSansar asked the CEOs “How has your way of celebrating Dashain changed as a child and as a CEO?”

“Barsha ma din ma lailai, harsha ka din yi lailai

Dashain Tihar chaada ra baada, khusile saaraa varyo ni sansara”

There are no better songs than this particular song by Sugam Pokharel to indicate the great festival of Hindus is right on the doorsteps. Dashain brings in a lot of aspirations and hope among Nepali people. The festival of Durga is celebrated throughout the country with a lot of enthusiasm. Among children, Dashain is usually popular for long vacations. Even the corporates take a break from their busy schedule to celebrate Dashain. The kites in the sky and marigold in the gardens remind us that the festival is right around the corner.

However, the current gloomy weather, fewer kites in the sky and the shortened Dashain vacation might not give the same vibe of Dashain that used to be once the favorite time of the year. As we grow up, our perception towards festivals and the way we celebrate these festivals change.

We asked the CEOs of banks, stock exchange and insurance companies how Dashain has changed for them from the time they were child to the time that they are CEOs now. Let us see what they have to share:

Chandra Singh Saud, CEO of Nepal Stock Exchange:

“Back when I was a child, Dashain was about celebration. It was fun because I would get new items every day. Dashain was about the big circle with siblings and cousins. I celebrated being carefree because I would be spending my parents’ money. However, the feeling for Dashain isn’t same anymore. Back in child, it was all about me having fun. Today, I am responsible that my children should have the fun they want. I don’t find today’s Dashain as fun as the one I celebrated back in childhood. Yet I try to make it a fun environment to my children.”

Pravin Raman Parajuli, CEO of Reliance Life Insurance:

“As a child, our priorities were different. It was about new clothes and good food. Today, I am more accountable towards making the Dashain experience a good one to someone else. Back then, it was about spending and earning. Today, it’s about personal time with closed ones. These days, I realize value of personal time with my family. It’s probably because of the shortened vacation.  Of course, I miss the Dashain that I used to celebrate as a child.”

Parshuram Kunwar Chhetri, CEO of Janata Bank Nepal Limited:

“Dashain will always be similar back then and now. The enthusiasm might have gone down. That’s probably because we had to wait for Dashain he whole year to get new clothes and enjoy a good feast. We don’t need to wait Dashain for new clothes, gatherings and good food these days. Every weekend can be a reunion, parties and good food. There was a different feeling to wait for a whole year to experience the excitement that Dashain brought with it.”

Govinda Prasad Dhakal, CEO of Garima Bikas Bank Limited:

“We need to change with the change in time. Back in time, I used to travel places within the country during Dashain. Then I started travelling outside country during Dashain. However, this Dashain, I am planning to visit my village and celebrate Dashain.”

Sunil KC, CEO of NMB Bank Limited:

“With the changing lifestyle of people, we can see the transition in cultural trends. The trend of travelling outside Nepal is increasing. Meanwhile, in my case probably because of the shortened number of holidays, I need to manage Dashain celebration in a short period of time. I need to make sure that I visit my relatives, spend time with closed ones, enjoy feasts and fulfill all the responsibilities within these few days.”

These are views of the CEOs of several companies in the country. Despite working within a busy schedule throughout the year, most of them think the shortened vacation has made it difficult to enjoy Dashain to the fullest. Nevertheless, how about you? How has Dashain changed for you during these years? Let us know in the comment section below.