Last Updated on February 17, 2020 by Treks Planner Nepal
Tihar(Festival of Lights) is also known by various other names like “Deepawali” or “Yama Panchak”. Tihar being the second biggest festival of Nepal after Dashain signifies happiness, prosperity, luck, harmony among all the people of different caste, creed, and color. It is a beloved festival celebrated by everyone all across the nation with great excitement and enthusiasm. The main highlights of this festivity are:
Kagh Tihar(Crow), Kukur Tihar(Dog), Gai Tihar/Laxmi Puja(Cow/Goddess of Wealth), Goru Puja/Mah Puja (Ox/ Mah Puja is celebrated by Newari individuals so as to worship their own soul and body) and lastly Bhaitika( Brother Puja).
Story Behind The Festivity
First, let us learn the ancient history of how the festivity came to start and why it is celebrated. There are many iterations of the tales and one of those tales has been depicted here. The most popular and heard story is related to the “God of Death” Yama. According to ancient history, Yama used to be very busy in the work that he stayed very far away from his sister for quite a long time. Yamuna, the sister of the God of Death wanted to meet her brother Yama so she acquired the help of various animals such as crow, dog, and cow as a messenger to call her brother to meet her but Yama did not show up. Finally, she herself went to visit her brother and after meeting him worshipped Yama with five colored tika and offered him with garlands of Globe Amaranth flower and a special gift prepared by her, she encircled Yama in a Dubo(Cynodon dactylon) dipped in mustard oil. Yamaraj being pleased with by the love of his sister then announced that someone who receives tika from their sisters will not die on that day.
When is the Festival Of Lights Celebrated?
Tihar usually falls in either October or November. However, the date of celebrating the festival usually depends upon the cycle of the moon. It is a five-daylong festival and starts with Kagh Tihar in Triyodashi of Kartik Krishna Paksha and ends with Bhai Tika in Dwitiya of Kartik Sukla Paskha. This year the festivity begins from October 25th-29th. And accordingly, it will be celebrated from November 13th-17th in 2020.
The main Highlights of Tihar is Explained in Breif
Day 1: Kagh Tihar(Worshipping the Crow)
Crow is regarded as the messenger of the Death God Yama here in Nepal. It is worshipped on the first day of the festivity and offers it with food and various sweets in the morning. There is an ancient belief that the sound of the crow cawing brings sadness and bad luck so to prevent any bad omens the crow is appeased.
Day 2: Kukur Tihar( Worshipping the Dogs)/Laxmi puja(Worshipping Goddess Laxmi)
Ironically this year Laxmi Puja and Kukur Tihar have coincided on the same day. This day is all about worshipping man’s best friend for all its loyalty and service throughout the year and more to come. People treat their dogs with various delicacies and those who don’t have dogs worship the ones in the streets. As the dogs are considered to be the “Gate Keeper of Death”.
As this year has coincided with another auspicious occasion of celebrating Laxmi Puja this day shares the festivity ritual of celebrating or worshipping the Goddess Laxmi as she is revered as the Goddess of Wealth. People clean their house and various milk, dung and urine are used for purification in various rituals. The houses are painted with red mud and cow dung. Also, various rangoli arts are done with various designs on the main gateway of the house and a lit candle or Diyo is placed at the center. And also small footprints are painted from the rangolis to the puja room so as to guide the Goddess Laxmi inside the house.
Day 3: Goverdhan Puja/Mah Puja
This day is all about the celebration of Goru(Oxen) and also in the Newar community Mah puja is celebrated. The Mah Puja is all about worshipping one’s own soul and body. All the members of the family seat together in a procession and make a mandap for each of them which are then decorated with flowers, sweets, garland, and lights. The female member of the family offers other members of the family with Sagun.
Day 4: Bhai Tika
This is the last day of the festivity and is the most auspicious and anticipated day of the whole Festival as the brothers provide sisters with Dakshina(money) as part of the ritual and sister to provide their brothers with various sweets, fruits, garlands, etc. On this auspicious day brother and sister come together to celebrate their love and bonding. The sisters pray for the long and prosperous life of their brothers.
Apart from all these main festivities people also put up light or diyo all over the house and beautifully decorate the house with various colored lights. As it is “The Festival Of Lights” the whole city is decorated with lights and it is one sight you would not want to miss.
And also with the decoration of lights, people also celebrate this festival with Deusi Bhailo Programs. During this bunch of young people ranging from children’s and teenagers visit doorsteps of various houses singing and dancing along to different cultural modern songs and are offered with various items like fruits, sweets, rotis, money, and flowers. And the group then in return bless the house with the auspicious gratitude for the goddess Laxmi to reside in the house.
And also firecrackers should not be left out as it is the major part of the Tihar Celebration. The sound of the firecrackers fills the street and everyone from a child to an adult seems to enjoy playing with firecrackers.
So, in short it is the most beautiful year of time to be here witnessing all this celebration here in Nepal. Too truly captivate the magic of this festivity one needs to be here and engulf all the magic of lights and firecrackers and festivity.