Tihar festival in Nepal is 5 Days festivity of merriments. Tihar otherwise is called Deepawali, Yamapanchak, or Swanti, in Nepal. Tihar is like Diwali, or the celebration of lights, which is praised in India, yet there are a couple of significant contrasts. Tihar, like Diwali, is set apart by the lighting of diyo, both inside and outside the home; in any case, in contrast to the Indian celebration, Tihar's five days are committed to the festival and worship of the four animals related to the Hindu divinity of death Yama, with the last day for Bhaitika.
In Nepal, Tihar is the second-biggest celebration after Dashain and is generally celebrated with a three-day public occasion. The celebration is extraordinary in that it remembers the divine beings, yet additionally creatures like crows, cows, and dogs that have maintained a close relationship with humans for a long time.
Tihar Festival in Nepal 2021
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 Nov | Thu | Laxmi Puja |
| 5 Nov | Fri | Govardhan Puja | |
| 6 Nov | Sat | Bhai Tika |
How is Deepawali celebrated in Nepal?
While each Hindu ethnic group in Nepal celebrates Tihar in their own way, the foundations of the festival remain the same. The "Festival of Lights" is named after the clay lanterns (diyas) that are lit and set around houses every night. Rangolis are beautiful designs formed with colored rice, flour, sand, and flower petals that are placed on the floors of homes and public spaces. Different Hindu gods and goddesses are intended to be honored and welcomed into the home.
The following customs are frequently observed in Nepal during the five days of Tihar:
On the first day of Tihar Crows and ravens are worshipped and fed delicious foods and sweets that are left on Hindu rooftops for them to locate. Hindus consider the caw-caw of gathering crows to be a sign of grief, and feeding the crows is supposed to avoid many disasters.
The second day is known as "Dog Day." Every year on this day, dogs are believed to be messengers of the deity of death and are revered. Dogs with wreaths on their heads and red or white spots (“tika”) on their foreheads are common.
The third day celebrates cows and oxen. Cows are worshipped on the morning of day three. Wreaths and tika are placed on them because they are considered to be symbols of wealth. The Hindu goddess of riches is honored on the third day's evening by burning oil lamps in doors and windows of residences. In return for gratuities, musicians, singers, and dancers perform door-to-door. Those who have been tipped spend the night adding up their newfound fortune.
On the fourth day, oxen are venerated in the same way as cows and dogs are. Some Hindus, but not all, worship Govardhan mountain on this day and build a "mini-mountain" out of cow dung to represent it. Making use of dung for purpose of manure and fuel is very encouraged in Nepali villages.
On the last day of Tihar, sisters apply tika on their brothers' foreheads in order to ensure a long and happy life for them. This custom is based on a Hindu deity who did the same thing to her brother. Sisters encircle brothers and place seven-colored tika on their foreheads at special rituals, during which presents are also distributed.
Why is Tihar Festival celebrated in Nepal?
Deepawali is one of Hinduism's most famous holidays, representing the spiritual "winning of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance." The goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi, is extensively connected with the festival, as are Sita and Rama, Vishnu, Krishna, Yama, Yami, Durga, Kali, Hanuman, Ganesha, Kubera, Dhanvantari, or Vishvakarman, according to different regional traditions.
In certain parts of Nepal and India and also some parts of the world, it's also a commemoration of Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana after conquering Ravana in Lanka and serving a 14-year exile.
There is a noteworthy legendary of Bhaitika celebrated in Nepal on the 5th Day of the Tihar festiv
al. The Yamuna, a girl whose brother was sick, is said to have prayed for him to have a long and healthy life. When Yama, the God of Death, arrived to take her brother away, she begged him to give her some time to worship him. This request was granted to her by Yama. The girl then gave her brother and Yama a lengthy ceremony. Yama was delighted with her and promised that he would not take her brother's soul till the turfgrass and flowers gifts remained fresh and unwilted. Yama blessed the boy a long life since the turfgrass and flowers stayed fresh till the following Bhai Tika. The sisters began to adore their brothers for their long and healthy lives from then on.
Enjoy this Deepawali Laxmi Puja Bhailini Song from the movie Swarga.
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