Dragon Boat Festival

The day before yesterday evening, I noticed many Chinese people carrying plant stems with them. It instantly reminded me of India, where we carry flowers, leaves, and stems on the eve of our festivals. I wondered why they were taking those plants home—and later, I was surprised to see the same leaves placed outside our neighbor’s door. It was the eve of the Dragon Boat Festival.

Yesterday, people across China celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival (DBF), a national holiday.

What intrigued me most was discovering that Chinese families also decorate their doors with leaves during festivals, just as we do during celebrations like Vijayadashami and Gudhi Padwa. On DBF, the Chinese place Acorus (Bach in Hindi, Vekhand in Marathi) and Artemisia (Nagdonā in Hindi, Dhor-davna in Marathi) on their doors and windows. These plants have herbal properties believed to repel insects, flies, fleas, and moths. They are also thought to help prevent illness and purify the home.

It’s fascinating to see such parallels between our ancient cultures, and how traditions across regions are deeply rooted in nature.

I’m sharing here a picture I took yesterday—our neighbor’s beautifully decorated door.

This is Zongzi (glutinous rice with date dumplings) wrapped in bamboo leaves. It's a must, popular food on DBF. These pictures are taken in 2008, in Beijing when our Ayi (maid) introduced us to Zongzi.