The dying tradition of painting evil eyes on the door entrance in Dashami

As Tharus embrace modernisation, many of their traditions are vanishing. And if not preserved on time, the young Tharus won’t even get to know about them!

Here’s one of the traditions of painting ‘Dain Jogin’ – an evil eye on the first day of Dashami in Eastern Nepal.

This pair of evil eyes is painted at the house entrance, tree trunks, pillars and on fruit bearing climbers and trees on the first day of Dashain festival, Ghatasthapana, called 'Kala Thapan' in Tharu language in Eastern Nepal. This is believed to ward off evil thoughts, devils and witches during the festival. ----------------------- #evileyes #Dashain #ghatasthapana #kalathapan #festival #terai #tharus #Nepal #easternnepal #culture #tradition

A photo posted by Sanjib Kumar Chaudhary (@sankuchy) on Oct 22, 2016 at 6:45pm PDT

The evil eyes are replaced by these red and white patches on the seventh day of Dashami.

In the seventh day of Dashain, called Saptami, the evil eyes are replaced with these red and white patches of rice flour and vermilion. If you watch carefully, there are seven rows and seven columns of these patterns -- denoting the seventh day. These patterns are made by a wild plant's pods that I'll be posting later. These patterns are erased after the festival ends. There's an interesting connection to painting these patterns. Sangita Tharuni says, "The evil eyes are erased and replaced with these colourful patterns since the Goddess Durga gets her nayan (eyes) on this day." All the clay idols made during Dashain get irises in their eyes on this day. After this the idols are complete and are demonstrated for public viewing and worshipping. ------------------- #Dashain #tradition #terai #culture #tharus #easternnepal #graffiti #Nepal #beliefs

A photo posted by Sanjib Kumar Chaudhary (@sankuchy) on Oct 22, 2016 at 6:59pm PDT

The pod of the plant that is used to create the red and white pattern is called ‘sakhari bakhari’ in local Tharu language. Thanks for identifying it @shankarian!

This wild plant has a special significance in Tharu households in Eastern Nepal. It bears yellow flowers and the 18 segmented pods that you're seeing are used as stamps to daub white and reddish patterns of rice flour and vermilion at both sides of an entrance during Dashain festival. ----------------------- #Dashain #whiteandredpatches #door #entrance #wardoffevil #wildflower #wildplants #easternnepal #tharu #culture #tradition #terai #Nepal

A photo posted by Sanjib Kumar Chaudhary (@sankuchy) on Oct 22, 2016 at 7:15pm PDT