Character Analysis-Chief Bromden free essay sample

Chief Bromden, branded â€Å"Chief Broom† by the ward because he takes charge in sweeping the floors, is the narrator of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Not only does he tell the story of the hospital life and the Acutes, but he also tells of his journey towards sanity. â€Å"They don’t bother not talking out loud about their hate secrets. because they think I’m deaf and dumb. I’m cagey enough to fool them † (Page 10, lines 3-6) Bromden stands six feet seven inches and is a deaf mute by choice. Chief knows that being deaf and dumb gives him intangible power over the staff and patients. When R. P. McMurphy is admitted to the hospital, Chief is caught off guard by the disruption he brings to the ward. â€Å" and especially with that wide open laugh of his. † (Page 22, line 15) The reader can begin to sense annoyance towards McMurphy, but yet jealousy and curiosity towards his rebellious, free spirit. We will write a custom essay sample on Character Analysis-Chief Bromden or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In the story, Chief Bromden plays a very discrete role in the story. After Chief breaks his vow to remain deaf and dumb, he and McMurphy have an eternal bond. â€Å"I dropped back until I was walking beside McMurphy I wanted to tell him not to fret † (Page 169, lines 9,10) Chief is tender towards McMurphy, wanting to assure him. In my opinion, Bromden acts as the big brother to all. Even though McMurphy helps Bromden come out of the ‘fog’, the aftermath of electroshock therapy, Bromden supports McMurphy when he cannot support himself. In the beginning of the story, Chief Bromden is under a constant fog, thick with guilt of hearing and seeing all. We notice the rise of Chief when McMurphy ‘unchains’ him from the power of the fog and from Nurse Ratched. The reader can begin to notice this substantially when Chief begins to speak once again. â€Å"And before I realized what I was doing, I told him thank you. † (Page 185, lines 3-4) McMurphy presents Chief with a pack of juicy fruit gum. Chief is caught off guard by the generosity and kind-heartedness of McMurphy, and his knee jerk reaction is to thank him. â€Å"I tried to laugh with him, but it was a squawking sound † (Page 185, lines 11,12) Chief seems relieved that he can finally be himself again. Chief and McMurphy become extremely close during the duration of the story. Towards the end of the book, McMurphy was given a lobotomy, which was believed to be the worst of all punishments. When McMurphy’s body-turned-vegetable was wheeled back into the ward, Chief and the other Acutes spend hours examining the so-called McMurphy. They couldn’t believe it was actually him. McMurphy was described as, â€Å" (his) head dented into the pillow, a swirl of red hair over a face milk-white except for the heavy purple bruises around the eyes. (Page 269, lines 28-30) Chief couldn’t stand the idea of his once rebellious and free spirited friend lying still; vegetable like. That night, McMurphy lay still, â€Å" the eyes open and undreaming, glazed from being open so long they were like smudged fuses in a fuse box. † (Page 270, lines 32-35) Chief slowly raised his pillow above McMurphy’s face, gently places it atop his mouth, cutting off all air pathways. Af ter a long battle of resistance, McMurphy was freed. A little remorseful, yet content with his decision, Chief fled the hospital and ran towards freedom, never looking back.

Sample Compare and Contrast Character Essay For the Fifth Grade

Sample Compare and Contrast Character Essay For the Fifth GradeA sample compare and contrast character essay for the fifth grade is often required to receive a final grade. It's worth knowing what you're getting into before you begin preparing, however.If you've read some of my previous articles, you'll know that I'm not very patient when it comes to writing. That said, I've always encouraged students to do as much research as possible on their topic.Nowadays, most fifth grade students are required to write a sample compare and contrast character essays. Often, this involves collecting different examples and writing different essays for different grades.First of all, you should always prepare for your five grade essay at least three months before the deadline. Many people wait until the last minute. Remember, the whole point of writing samples is to inform and not to worry about later.Don't rush through the assignment - this will certainly delay your grade. You should be able to comp lete the assignment in about half the usual time.In addition, you should avoid using too many words. The five grade sample compare and contrast character essay for the fifth grade involves lots of information, so stick to a maximum of four hundred and fifty words per essay.Lastly, don't forget to format your sample compare and contrast character essay for the fifth grade properly. Formatting with Microsoft Word can make a big difference.The best way to format the essay is to use the table of contents in the 'Format' tab. You can use the grammar check, or 'Find and Replace' function.

Thelonious Monk free essay sample

Monk is known as one of the most unique, Inimitable piano players of all time. Monk was both ahead of his time, and deeply rooted In tradition, and used his extraordinary gift of perfect pitch to learn songs and memorize them fast. Theologies had a love for the Plano from a young age, and grew up In Manhattan around lots of musicians. After falling academically as a young high school student he decided to drop out of school and pursue being a musician. He went on tour with an evangelic healer for 2 years, shortly after dropping out.When he came back home he was playing out as much as possible. HIS reputation grew as one of the best around as he began to grow. He was co-house plants at a club called Millions Playhouse with Bud Powell. The after- hours jam sessions that went on there, along with a number of other jazz clubs, gave birth to what is now known as be-bop. We will write a custom essay sample on Thelonious Monk or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Musicians he played with were Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Mary Lou Williams, Kenny Clarke, Oscar Pettifogs, Max Roach, Tad Demeanor, to name a few. The jam sessions that took place here were inspiring many musicians of the day.From the mime Theologies was on the scene this new thing called modern jazz was emerging, and people either really liked it or didnt understand it at all. And Monk was the leader of modern-Jazz. No one was playing the way Monk did, he was just purely original. When Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie had questions regarding music they went to Monk for the answer. Monk was annoyed when he heard people praising Bird and Dizzy saying that started the revolution to modern Jazz. Monk said this in an interview with a French Jazz magazine: l feel like I have contributed more to modern jazz than all of the other musicians combined.Thats why I dont like to hear: Gillespie and Parker brought the revolution to Jazz When I know most of the ideas came from me. Dizzy and Bird did nothing for me musically, they didnt teach me anything. (the Life and Times of Theologies Monk, book p. 105 Robin D. G. Kelley). Monk was bitter about these guys because theyd get all the gigs meanwhile Monk for 6 years couldnt even play in the city he grew up In after getting his Cabaret Card taking from him after being falsely arrested for drug possession. The drugs were In fact his friend Bud Powell and Monk took the rap for him.But Monk found work In gigs during this time often in Brooklyn, or out of town. Jazz was spirit of the country, and Monks music was perfect for the time, even though It wasnt being appreciated by all for what it was. Theologies Monk was born October 10th, 1917 In Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he spent the first four years of his life. Both Theologies parents were son/daughter of slaves that grew up In North Carolina. Theologies was Monks fathers, grandfathers, and great- grandfathers name. All witnessed the battles that took in their backyards and neighborhood.The struggle by Theologies read-grandparents and grandparents caused Theologies to feel more fortunate to racism in North Carolina and Join her cousin in New York City. She had to get out of North Carolina so she took her kids up to New York City, leaving behind Monks father, because he was battling a sickness where he couldnt live with the city air. Monk was the middle brother of one older sister Marion and one younger brother Thomas. The four of them began a new life in Manhattan, in the San Juan Hill neighborhood, where racism and violence was happening every day. Theologies had to battle all the races to and from his walk to school.When he came back there was only one thing he wanted to do, piano. Inspired by Lie Armstrong he originally began with the trumpet. But when his trumpet instructor saw him nodding on the piano he said Mimi goat take up piano. So he did. He taught himself how to read music by ease- dropping on his sisters piano lessons and watching like a hawk over her shoulder as she practiced. When his love for the piano over matched Marinas she gave them up to him. His teacher then, Simon Wolf, a classical pianist was astonished by Monks ability to read and memorize difficult pieces so fast.Lessons were an expensive . 75 cents per half hour, and Monks mother scrubbed many floors to be able to afford it. After two years with Wolf, Monk moved on from him to pursue his love of Jazz. It was clear to all who heard Theologies that he was extremely gifted. Monk got in within the stride pianist like Art Datum and Willie The Lion Smith and others. These guys got together to share ideas and Jam, all of them being older then Monk Theologies took it as a very important learning period. This type of music helped Theologies develop a very strong left hand technique.He dropped out of high school to pursue he life of being a piano player. His mother was okay with it as long as he was working and not being a bum. So, when he was 17 he took his first gig and traveled cross country with an evangelic healer and did not return home for two years. All that is really known is that it was a very eye opening experience, seeing miracles happen before his eyes. We played and she healed. Monk was a man of very few words would answer questions with as few words possible. Monk didnt do drugs, although the media had look as if he was a Junkie.He wasnt an idiot savant like people lamed neither, he was shy around the media, but his close friends and family would classify him as a Jouster, and a witty one at that. He was a family man and took his work seriously. Monk was quiet, and his few words were said in a deep tone and often mumbled a lot of people didnt get him. Monk went to the beat of his own drum. All he worried about was making sure his family had a place to eat and sleep and tried to make it as comfortable as possible; and making music. He would go out on stage with the big diamond on his finger, and wearing eccentric hats and fur coats.To his fans, he was the hippest guy around; to the others they didnt get him and were more than likely Just racist and wanted nothing to do with That type of music. Monk played everything different, never two things alike. In a time where all musicians wanted to play as many notes as possible, Monk loved to use space and silence in his solos, sometimes dropping out completely Just to see what would happen. He believed the loudest note was silence. Critics were displeased by Monks unique style, and it took some getting used to him before he got to where he really broke through professionally.Musically he had been what he called His way since he was 15 years old. But in the asss and asss besides gigs here and there with bands have anything long term. But it all changed after tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins hired him first to play for a lengthy amount of time and also to record an album in 1944. Suddenly there were a lot more people on the Monk bandwagon. In 1947, at age 30 Monk made his first album as a leader with Blue Note. Blue Note allowed Monk to choose his band members for the album. Theologies, who had already been on the Jazz scene for half his life, chose musicians who werent well know yet.Guys like dress Sullivan and George Await; Sahibs Shiva and seventeen-year-old Danny Quebec West on alto saxophones; Billy Smith on tenor; and bassists Gene Ramey and John Simmons. On some recordings Monk employed Count Basis drummer Rosier Shadow Wilson; and on others, the drums was Art Blakely. For his last Blue Note session as a leader in 1952, Monk was surrounded by an all-star band, including Kenny Dirham (trumpet), Lou Donaldson (alto), Lucky Thompson (tenor), Nelson Boyd (bass), and Max Roach (drums).In the end, although all of Monks Blue Note ides are hailed today as some of his greatest recordings, at the time of their release in the late sass and early sass, they proved to be a commercial failure. Monk went on to record albums with Prestige, Riverside, and Columbia. Monk was the second most recorded Jazz pianist only to Duke Longtime. As Monk grew old he is classified with a chemical imbalance and diagnosed as bi-polar. He continued to tour, doing world tours late in his career, but he slowly was losing that magic touch. He declined physically and mentally, he was mixing medications and getting sick a lot.In 1965 His outs with bi-polar were getting worse and worse. Getting more and more disconnected from the world then he was to begin with, he decides to focus on his health and his family. Until 1977 Monk was playing only very occasional gigs and in 1977 he retired. Theologies lived another 5 years before having a stroke and dying. Theologies is remember and respected as one of the few Jazz Giants. His musical genius is that unlike anyone elses. He contributed many great standards to be enjoyed for hopefully decades to come. It was a rough road, but the music which was made by the man, Theologies Monk, was pure genius.

A Checklist on Effective Team Working The WritePass Journal

A Checklist on Effective Team Working Abstract A Checklist on Effective Team Working ). Possession of this skill enables one to effectively present their ideas to other group members or express their displeasure in certain ideas without being threatening. Communication also involves listening, which is vital for internalizing the ideas presented by other team members. The present–day technological advancements like the internet and mobile phones have further eased the communication process, which is also advantageous for team work and has led to the ‘virtual team’ phenomenon (Duarte Snyder, 2011). Lack of communication skills often lead to conflicts within the team or groupthink, where some team members agree with ideas without any constructive debate. Commitment to Attainment of the Team Objective The level of team members’ commitment to collaborate and accomplish the team’s goals is a critical contributing factor towards the success of the team (Dunin-Keplicz Verbrugge, 2011). All teamwork projects involve the contribution of individual members towards the attainment of an overall objective. Therefore, commitment starts by their acknowledgement of the fact that what they are working to achieve cannot be solely done by one individual (Mohammed Harrison, 2013). Committed team members have a high regard for the roles that they have been allocated and work as hard as possible to ensure that they are well accomplished within the allocated time. Commitment however depends on how organizations motivate the team members (Sheng et al., 2010). Competence Allocation of roles and responsibilities in team work is done according to the specialty of each team member (Lencioni, 2012). For instance, it is expected that a marketing role will be delegated to an individual who has a rich background in marketing and not engineering. By exercising competence in the roles they are allocated, team members create a sense of confidence in team leaders and other members that they will deliver the required level of quality (Galbraith Webb, 2013). It is also necessary for team members to only accept roles in which they are sure of delivering paramount quality (Dunin-Keplicz Verbrugge, 2011). The lack of the required levels of competence results in poor delivery of individual roles, which adversely affects the overall results of the team. Creativity Creativity is defined as the ability to come up with ingenious solution for certain issues or problems (Mumford, 2012). In teamwork, it is a very important tool, especially when the problem at hand has no pre-defined approach of addressing it. When a team has creative members, one of the main advantages is that the project at hand will not be hindered by common challenges that may arise in the course of its progress. Whereas creativity can be considered as an individual quality, Foss et al. (2013) also argued that creativity can be nurtured within the team because team members provide different suggestions of approaches that can be used in solving problems. Effective Management and Organization In the course of a team project, there are short-term objectives to be met that contribute to the attainment of the larger goal (Mohammed Harrison, 2013). It is therefore vital for team members to effectively manage and organize time and resources that they have been allocated to accomplish their roles. The lack of management and organization skills is likely to result in delays or failure of some team members in accomplishing their roles within the allocated time schedule and resources (Galbraith Webb, 2013). Management and organization also determines the punctuality of team members in attending meetings or reporting the progress of their allocated duties. Respect and Support for other Team Members One of the pillars of teamwork is the acknowledgement of the roles played by each member of the group (Duarte Snyder, 2011). This eliminates the subscription to the ideology by other team members that their roles are more important than others. According to Sheng et al. (2010), support of other team members who may be experiencing difficulties exemplifies a sense of loyalty towards one another. Expressing respect and support rather than playing the blame game builds confidence in team members and contributes towards a constructive working relationship (Galbraith Webb, 2013). It also increases the possibility of successful collaboration in future projects. Accountability and Responsibility Accountability and responsibility play a major role in instilling self discipline among members when handling projects they have been assigned to (Graham Englund, 2013). Whilst not all team members can be allocated a leadership position in the team, they have to be responsible for the small roles they have been assigned and ensure that they deliver them on time (Sheng et al., 2010). Accountability in team work ensures that every action taken in contribution to the team project is justifiable. It is however argued that accountability limits creativity because of the fear of mistakes that can arise when trying out creative problem solving procedures (Mumford, 2012). Conclusion Teamwork is an inevitable phenomenon in any organization. It is therefore necessary for individuals to hone skills that enable them to be better team players. This paper has outlined some f the qualities that are considered as being vital for anyone who wants to be successful team player. Whereas I possess all of the discussed skills, I also intend to improve my level of perfection in them in order to be a better team player in future. References Duarte, D.L. Snyder, N.T., 2011. Mastering Virtual Teams: Strategies, Tools, and Techniques That Succeed. San Fransisco: Josey-Bass. Dunin-Keplicz, B. Verbrugge, ‎J., 2011. Teamwork in Multi-Agent Systems: A Formal Approach. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Foss, L., Woll, K. Moilanen, M., 2013. Creativity and implementations of new ideas: Do organisational structure, work environment and gender matter? International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 5(3), pp.298-322. Galbraith, D.D. Webb, F.L., 2013. Teams That Work: Preparing Student. American Journal Of Business Education Teams For The Workplace, 6(2), pp.223-33. Graham, R.J. Englund, R.L., 2013. Creating an environment for successful projects. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Hill, F. Parsons, L‎., 2014. Teamwork in the Management of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. New Jersey: Routledge. Lencioni, P., 2012. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: Intact Teams Participant Workbook. San Francisco: Pfeiffer. Mohammed, S. Harrison, D.A., 2013. The clocks that time us are not the same: A theory of temporal diversity, task characteristics, and performance in teams. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 122(2), pp.244-56. Mumford, M.D., 2012. Handbook of Organizational Creativity. London: Elsevier. Sheng, C.W., Tian, Y.F. Chen, M.C., 2010. Relationships among teamwork behavior, trust, perceived team support, and team commitment. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 38(10), pp.1297-305.

Aboriginal people and the Canadian justice system Essay

Aboriginal people and the Canadian justice system - Essay Example Section 35 of the constitution of Canada defines aborigines as 'aboriginal people in Canada include the Indian, Inuit, and metis people of Canada And further sect 35 sub sec 4 states 'notwithstanding any other provision of this act, the aboriginal and treaty rights referred to in sub section 1 are guaranteed equally to male and female.The Federal government of Canada and the provincial government are committed to the principle that, before amendment to class 24 of section 91 of the constitution act 1867 to section 25 of this act or to this part.The Ottawa project for restoration and sentencing is said to be the pilot project .it is said also to one of the several justice projects across Canada that have garnered support of the department of justice.The numerous studies, reports and justice inquires across Canada, and growing body of statistical information, confirmed that aboriginal people experience disproportionately high rates of crime and victimization are over represented in the court and the correctional system, and further, feel a deep alienation from justice system that is to them foreign and inaccessible and reflects both human and fiscal terms are seen to be exhorbitant, but also spiraling.Through persistent dialogue with various levels of government, aboriginal communities across Canada have gradually begun to explore the possibility of administering various components of the criminal justice system. Various difficulties confronting Aboriginal people within the Canadian judicial system have been addressed over the past twenty years but, unfortunately, many problems still exist. High levels of Aboriginal incarceration, one of the most serious problems, are aggravated by inadequate government funding and limited rehabilitation options and resources, and the overall justice system still does not address the cultural needs of Aboriginal peoples. JURISDICTIONAL REACH OF THE INTIATIVES Besides the fact that the restorative and sentencing community projects is a national wide issue which has been deeply entrenched in the constitution via the constitution act 1867,provincial governments have been given the a larger part to play in initiating projects within their provincial jurisdiction to address the issue. Overall, the Program helps Aboriginal people who are in conflict with the criminal justice system to obtain fair, just, equitable, and culturally sensitive treatment. Specifically, the Aboriginal Court work Program seeks to: 1. In the event of as aborigine being accused of a criminal offence and eventually put in custody, the project has devised a way of organizing for bail terms, which in most cases are denied to them. assist Aboriginal people to understand their right to speak on their own behalf or to request legal counsel, to better understand the nature of the charges against them and the philosophy and functioning of the criminal justice system. 2. Also the project is assisting in ensuring that the time spent in pre-trial detention by aboriginal people is reduced. 3. Afford them legal representation in court. 4. Disproportinate level of aboriginal incarceration -the Canadian criminal justice system is rooted in a strong reliance on incarceration and as a result, Canada is placed among the highest users of imprisonment in the world .the emphasis an incarceration as punishment had a detrimental effect on offenders, particularly aboriginal offenders on whom confinement places particularly onerous pressures, given the traditional relationship with the land

Avente Garde Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Avente Garde - Essay Example It is also art or theatre at its most radical form, hostile to other artistic or conventional forms. It rejects the accepted social values and beliefs and condemn traditionally accepted artistic forms, ridicule the social order for which the society is used to and to put it succinctly, it believes in shocking its viewers. It is always searching for new arenas, and never satisfied with what is already accepted. "However, beneath this diversity there is a clearly identifiable unity of purpose and interest (at least in the theatre) which has all the characteristics of a coherent trend, since its principles can be shown to be shared quite independent of direct influence," Innes (1993, pp2-3). Avant garde is recognized with the postmodern theatre. Postmodern theatre is considered to be the recent phenomenon in the theatre world, connected with the European post-modern philosophy of the 1960s, naturally, which created many radical movements almost in every field. "The radical movement of the sixties constitute one of the most interesting social phenomena of this century; by insiders and outsiders, and what emerges is a confused picture in which elements of pacifism, civil rights agitation, anti-Vietnam sentiments, sexual liberation, feminism, and other forms of antiauthoritarianism are chaotically thrown together," Erwin (1988, p.15).It is different, revolutionary, unprecedented, a movement away from everything that is already established in the theatre. It has completely unconventional and subverted ways of seeing and portraying the world, and each performance becomes a dramatic spectacle of the so called Chaos Theory, and audience invariably find themselves participating in it, improvising it and bettering the dialogues. This can be called the avant-garde theatre movement of our times, far removed from the usual mainstream theatre. Postmodernists would be horrified at any such suggestions that they are even remotely connected with it! The aesthetic experience of the theatre, even though it is avant garde, does not diminish, only for the simple reason that it is unconventional. It has the power of holding the attention of its audience, and many times, the audience directly participate in it, creating an unreal situation, where they are transported into another era and back to the present era with a rude jerk and this way their experience is more authentic, compared to the one they would have had as mere spectators. It is impossible to believe that as ordinary spectators, they could have experienced the total identity with the play any better. Theatre, under postmodernism, is neither objective nor passive. It is crying for the audience participation and new experiences as part of the play. One such ensemble, the Wooster Group, consisting of modern artists working with Elizabeth LeCompte as their director, have cultivated new forms of production, presentation, and theatrical expression, dance and movement, and has created many pieces of production, which have earned appreciation, though not initially. It has also shown that however outrageous the new forms look in the beginning, slowly, it would create an audience of its own, and the new generation, whether they have logical reasons for appreciating it or not,

During the month of Kartik in the Bikram Sambat calendar Essay Example for Free

During the month of Kartik in the Bikram Sambat calendar Essay During the month of Kartik in the Bikram Sambat calendar (late September and early October), the Nepalese people indulge in the biggest festival of the year, Dashain. Dashain is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, celebrated by Nepalese of all caste and creed throughout the country. The fifteen days of celebration occurs during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Thorough out the kingdom of Nepal the goddess Durga in all her manifestations are worshiped with innumerable pujas, abundant offerings and thousands of animal sacrifices for the ritual holy bathing, thus drenching the goddess for days in blood. Dashain commemorates a great victory of the gods over the wicked demons. One of the victory stories told is the Ramayan, where the lord Ram after a big struggle slaughtered Ravana, the fiendish king of demons. It is said that lord Ram was successful in the battle only when goddess Durga was evoked. The main celebration glorifies the triumph of good over evil and is symbolized by goddess Durga slaying the terrible demon Mahisasur, who terrorised the earth in the guise of a brutal water buffalo. The first nine days signify the nine days of ferrous battle between goddess Durga and the demon Mahisasur. The tenth day is the day when Mahisasur was slain and the last five days symbolise the celebration of the victory with the blessing of the goddess. Dashain is celebrated with great rejoice, and goddess Durga is worshiped throughout the kingdom as the divine mother goddess. In preparation for Dashain every home is cleansed and beautifully decorated, painted as an invitation to the mother goddess, so that she may visit and bless the house with good fortune. During this time the reunion of distant and nearby relatives occur in every household. The market is filled with shoppers seeking new clothing, gifts, luxuries and enormous supplies of temple offering for the gods, as well as foodstuffs for the family feasting. Thousands of sheep, goats, ducks, chicken and water buffalo are prepared for the great slaughter. All types of organisations are closed for ten to fifteen days. Labourers are almost impossible to find; from the poor to the rich, all enjoy the festive mood. Anywhere you go the aroma of Vijaya Dashami is found. The first nine days of Dashain are called nawa ratri when tantric rites are conducted. In Nepal the life force is embodied in the divine energy and power of the female, depicted as goddess Durga in her many forms. All goddess who emanated from goddess Durga are known as devis, each with different aspects and powers. In most mother goddess temples the deity is represented simply as a sacred Kalash, carved water jug or multiple handed goddess holding murderous weapons. During these nine days people pay their homage to the goddess. If she is properly worshiped and pleased good fortunes are on the way and if angered through neglect then misfortunes are around the corner. Mother goddess is the source of life and everything. The first day of Dashain is called Ghatasthapana, which literally means pot establishing. On this day the kalash, (holy water vessel) symbolising goddess Durga often with her image embossed on the side is placed in the prayer room. The kalash is filled with holy water and covered with cowdung on to which seeds are sown. A small rectangular sand block is made and the kalash is put in the centre. The surrounding bed of sand is also seeded with grains. The ghatasthapana ritual is performed at a certain auspicious moment determined by the astrologers. At that particular moment the priest intones a welcome, requesting goddess Durga to bless the vessel with her presence. The room where the kalash is established is called Dashain Ghar. Generally women are not allowed to enter the room where Dashain puja is being carried out. A priest or a household man worships the kalash everyday once in the morning and then in the evening. The kalash and the sand are sprinkled with holy water everyday and it is shielded from direct sunlight. By the tenth day, the seed will have grown to five or six inches long yellow grass. The sacred yellow grass is called Jamara. It is bestowed by the elders atop the heads of those younger to them during the last five days when tika is put on. The jamara is taken as a token of Goddess Durga as well as the elders blessing. As days passes by regular rituals are observed till the seventh day. The seventh day is called Fulpati. On this day the jamara to be used by the royal household is brought from their ancestral royal house in Gorkha about a hundred and sixty nine kilometres away over the hills north west of the valley of Kathmandu. A parade is held in the Hanuman Dhoka Royal Palace. The fulpati, i. e. the procession bearing the jamara and other items necessary for the tika, is brought from Gorkha after a three day walk and most of the government officials are eagerly waiting for the fulpati parade to arrive at Rani Phokari in the afternoon. Rani Phokari area is filled with hundreds of government officials meticulously attired in the traditional formal dress. In fulpati, the royal kalash filled with holy water, banana stalks, jamara and sugar cane tied with red cloth is carried by Brahmans from the ancestral royal house on a decorated palanquin under a gold tipped and embroidered umbrella, led by the military platoon of the royal priest. The government officials also join the fulpati parade. Whilst the fulpati parade is heading towards the old royal palace, His Majesty the King observes the ceremonies taking place in Tundikhel, the army parade ground in the center of the city. There a majestic display of the Royal Nepalese Army is held. Guns are fired and the entire valley echoes with the resonance sound of it. The firing continues for ten to fifteen minutes to honour the fulpati. By the time the function ends the royal fulpati is already taken inside the Dashain ghar in Hanuman Dhoka Palace. With this the Dashain feasting starts. The eighth day is called the Maha Asthami. The fervour of worship and sacrifice to Durga and Kali increases. On this day many orthodox Hindus will be fasting. Sacrifices are held in almost every house through out the day. The night of the eighth day is called Kal Ratri, the dark night. Hundreds of goats, sheep and buffaloes are sacrificed at the mother goddess temples. In the darkness of the night Durga temples, army barracks, and old palaces all over Nepal hold sacrifices for the mother goddess. The sacrifice continues till dawn. The old palace in Basantapur Hanuman Dhoka, is active throughout the night with worships in almost every courtyard. While the puja is being carried out great feasts are held in the homes of common people where large amount of meat are consumed. The ninth day is called Nawami. The Taleju temple at Hanuman Dhoka is opened for the public only once a year on this day. Thousands of people go and pay their respect to the goddess day. Temples of mother goddess are filled with people from dawn till dusk. On this day the official military sacrifices are held in the Kot courtyard at Hanuman Dhoka. The government allows foreigners to witness this function so hundreds of tourists and diplomats eagerly gather here. Animals mostly black buffaloes are slaughtered by hundreds to honour Durga the goddess of victory and might and to seek her blessing. Military bands play war tunes, guns boom and officers with beautifully decorated medals in full uniform stand there. When the function ends the courtyard is filled ankle deep with blood. On this very day the god Vishwas Karma, the God of creativity is also worshiped. All factories, vehicles, any machinery instruments and anything from which we make a living are worshiped. We also give sacrifices to all moving machinery like cars, aeroplanes, trucks etc. to get the blessing from goddess Durga for protection for vehicles and their occupants against accidents during the year. The entire day is colourful. The tenth day is the Dashami. On this day we take tika and jamara from our elders and receive their blessing. We visit our elders in their home and get tika from them while our younger ones come to our home to receive blessing from us. The importance of Dasain also lies in the fact that on this day family members from far off and distant relatives come for a visit as well as to receive tika from the head of the family. This function continues for four days. His Majesty also receives tika from the royal priests and then gives on tika to his loyal subjects. Thousands of loyal Nepalese people as well as foreigners also receive tika from His Majesty the King as this is said to be auspicious. After four days of rushing around and meeting your relatives Dashain ends on the full moon day, the fifteenth day. In the last day people stay at home and rest. The full moon day is also called Kojagrata meaning who is awake. The Hindu goddess of wealth Laxmi is worshipped. On this day the goddess Laxmi is given an invitation to visit each and everyone. After Dashain the nation settles back to normal. After receiving the blessing of goddess Durga, people are ready to work and acquire virtue, power and wealth. Dashain thus is not only the longest festival but also the most anticipated one among all the festivals of Nepal.