Tihar Festival Begins

The second biggest festival of Hindus , Tihar has began from Monday. People marked the first day of Tihar as Kag Tihar (The Crow’s Day) praying and feeding Crows. Crows are offered sweets and other foods on this day. Tihar is celebrated for 5 days which is called the Yama Panchak.Yama is the king
of Hell, who is believed to go to celebrate with his sister Yamuna during these 5 days Nepal Calendar Year which has been adapted by the Newar community in Nepal is also changing on coming Friday as Nepal Year 1136 NS.

According to the Bedas, Crows are considered as the messengers of the Yama. Crows used to carry letters during the ancient times. Even these days people have belief that some good or bad will be happening soon if some crows cow near your home.

 

The second day is called the Kukur Tihar or the Dog’s day.Dogs are given good food, marked with colors and  given garlands of flower on this day.

 

The third day is called Gai Tihar or the Cow’s day also called the Laxmi Pooja. Cows are worshiped as god mother in Nepal which is also our national animal. Cow dung is used to varnish the floor while praying and her urine is used to purify the home body during birth and death ceremonies.

In the evening people worship the goddess Laxmi which is the lord of wealth and prosperity. People celebrate with lighting and fireworks in the evening to thank and welcome Laxmi. People visit home to home -performing Deusi Bhailo.Deusi Bhailo is a song where one narrates and others sing as chorus. Deusi Bhailo groups are given sweets. Sellroti and Dakshina (money).
 

The fourth day is called the Goru Tihar or the Oxen day. As 80 percent of Nepalese are dependent on agriculture, 99 percent farmers use Oxen to plough their lands as modern technologies for ploughing, sowing and harvesting are not yet familiar in Nepal. These Oxen are like our father in Nepal.
 

On Goru Tihar, farmers clean and decorate them with colors, feed them good cereals and worship them. This day is also called Gobardhan Pooja.
Newari community celebrate this day as Mha Pooja (self Praying)
 

Last and the fifth day is called the Bhai Teeka or the day for brothers and sisters. On this day brother and sisters worship each other. Sisters mark their brother’s forehead with 7 different colours and give them garlands of different flowers and offer them packs of sweets and delicious foods whiile brothers worship thier sisters and give them gifts.After completion of Teeka, brothers visits neighouing homes and perform Deusi again.
 

Thus Tihar is a festival of lights, colors, feasting, partying, thanks giving and worshpping.