Editorial: Happy Dasain

Next week is a march of reds on the almanac as the State shuts down for the Dasain break. All festivals are about the family, and Dasain even more so because this is the one festival for which extended families have traditionally come together for grand celebrations. How special this festival is for a majority of the people in the region is borne out by the empty streets and understaffed hotels and restaurants despite this also being peak tourist season. And when family takes primacy, hopefully, the incendiary divisions of party politics will take a backseat at least through the course of the next week. This hiatus in tensions will serve Sikkim well because at the end of the day no one wants violence on the streets, and secretly, everyone will be hoping that their party affiliations are not required to be displayed too often from here-on because with Dasain starts the festive season in Sikkim when work traditionally slows down and the lulling effect of Dasain ko Ghaam kicks in. These are not months which lend themselves too well to political activity, the Rolu Picnic experience notwithstanding. The days leading up to Teohar will be spent in its preparation and then the children will need preparing for their final examinations and it’s the winter break after that then its Losoong, Christmas and New Year- a busy schedule of family responsibilities, celebrations and holidays. That said, the panchayat elections will be upon rural Sikkim even before the Dasain hangover has worn out, and hopefully, the Namthang adrenaline will wear out over the next week and the days of campaigning left will remain peaceful. This, the people should insist upon. Beyond that, the Sikkim Police advisory on how to keep homes safe [this is also burglary season given the number of empty homes around town as people empty to the bastis] is already out and should be heeded by the urban folk. Festivals are also about indulging, but here’s hoping that Sikkim will do so responsibly and this festive season brings only good and positive tidings...