One of the main things I miss after moving to the United States from Nepal is the time of the year of festivals. One of the main festivals and my favorite festival is called Tihar, or the festival of light. Tihar, also referred to as Deepawali, is a 5 day long celebration that is mostly celebrated by Hindus around the world.
Tihar is celebration of creatures associated with the Hindu god of death Yama, with the final day being the celebration of brothers and sisters.
Day 1: Kaag (Crow) Tihar
On day 1, people celebrate crows by leaving food out on rooftops and terraces for crows to feed on. In Hinduism, crows and sometimes ravens are associated as messengers of the god of death Yama. As common in other cultures as well, crows and ravens are also sometimes associated with death and grief, so by offering food to them, they hope to ward of bad news, death, and grief for the upcoming year.
Day 2: Kukur (Dog) Tihar
On day 2, people celebrate dogs, or more specifically, the bond between humans and dogs. Similar to crows, dogs are seen as messengers for Yama, but this time for incarnation. Usually, most of the people celebrate their dogs, both domesticated and strays found around the communities. In celebration, they offer food and treats as well as placing tika on their forehead and necklaces of marigold around their necks.
Day 3: Gai (Cow) Tihar and Lakshmi Puja (Worship)
Day 3 is regarded as the most important day of the Tihar. As a day devoted to the worship of the goddess of wealth and prosperity Lakshmi, on day 3 people celebrate not only Lakshmi but also her vehicular animal, the cow. In Hinduism, cows are seen as sacred for this reason. Cows are treated similarly to dogs during Kukur Tihar, with tika and marigold necklaces being placed on their heads and necks. For worship of Lakshmi, people spend the day cleaning their houses, most prominently the entry ways such as doors and windows and place bright lights around the house, as it is believed to welcome Lakshmi into their home with the light.
Day 4: Govardhan (Ox) Puja and Mha (Body) Puja
Similar to gai tihar, day 4 celebrates the life of an ox. As a agriculturally heavy society, Nepalese people worship the ox as it is a figure of manual labor. Similar to dogs and cows, oxen are honored with food, tika, and necklaces and during this day. In addition, people celebrate themselves, as mha or “body”. It is a way of worshipping for one’s self and one’s soul and it coincides with the first day of the Nepali Sambat calendar.
Day 5: Bhai (Brother) Tika
The last day is called Bhai tika. During bhai tika, brothers and sisters celebrate the bond between siblings by honoring and worshipping each other. For sisters, they honor their brothers by worshipping their bodies with items such as oil, fire, and other foods. In return, the brothers honor their sisters by offering them gifts, money, and food in return. In some cultures, such as the Newar culture, this includes mandalas as “mandap” during the celebration.
Replies
I learned so much about this traditional festival and am really glad you chose to share your insights. The pictures really helped me visualize what the culture is like, in terms of what colors are salient, what Gods are venerated, as well as the values and principles the culture holds dearly.
Abhishekh, I learned a lot about Tihar(Deepawali) because of your cultural post. I really like the way that you listed different things that happened in 5days. And the pictures that you have posted are really interesting! Thank you for letting me know more about Tihar!
Abhishekh, so far I have been enjoying reading your posts on the various Hindu/Nepali holiday traditions. I like how you break them down and explain the different days and what is involved. I think I love the idea of being able to attend Tihar, especially the second day of Kukur Tihar. The pictures of the dogs with flowers around their necks and tikas on their forehead look amazing. Susmita as previously told me about Tihar and how you guys will leave your house's gate and doors open at night for the the goddess of wealth to visit. I'm curious to know if during these celebrations there is an uptick in domestic robbery as some people might be too caught up in the festivities?