Tihar is a five-day Hindu festival celebrated in Nepal and the Indian areas of Sikkim and Gorkhaland (especially the towns of Darjeeling and Kalimpong), where many ethnic Indian Gorkhas live.
Tihar Celebration In Nepal
Nepal’s many communities celebrate Tihar in different ways. The Newars refer to the festival as Swanti, whereas Madhesis refer to it as Deepawali. Rangoli, or designs on the flooring of living rooms or courtyards made with colored rice, dried flour, colorful sand, or flower petals, is a sacred greeting for the gods and goddesses, notably Lakshmi.
Firecrackers are frequently set off during the event, but the Nepalese government has banned their use in recent years due to an increase in injuries.
Children frequently walk from home to house, singing songs and begging for money or food as gifts. During the event, popular hobbies include card gambling, kauda (a game with cowrie shells), and langur burja.
Tihar is Nepal’s second largest festival after Dashain, and it is traditionally celebrated with a three-day national holiday. The event is unique in that it honors not only the gods, but also creatures such as crows, cows, and dogs who have coexisted with people for many generations.
Five Days Of Tihar
Day 1- Kaag Tihar
The first day of Tihar is known as Kaag Tihar, or Crow Tihar. Crows and ravens, thought to be messengers of the death god Yama, are worshipped with offerings of grains, seeds, and sweets placed on rooftops or in the streets. Crows and ravens’ cawing is associated with melancholy and mourning in Hinduism, as these birds are thought to bring messages from Yama. By feeding the crows, followers try to please them and avoid death and grief in the next year.
Along with Kaag Tihar, Dhanteras (also known as Dhan Trayodashi and Dhanwantari Jayanti) is observed on this day. Dhanvantari, the Hindu god of medicine, is honored on this day. On this day, individuals traditionally buy jewelry, cutlery, and household appliances. Buying gold or silver on this day is considered auspicious.
Day 2- Kukur Tihar
The second day is known as Kukur (dog) Tihar, during which people perform puja. On this day, all dogs, whether domestic or stray, are given treats and honored with a tika on their forehead and marigold garlands around their necks. This day commemorates the remarkable bond between humans and dogs. Yudhishthira refuses to enter Svarga unless the dog, who shows himself to be the god Yama, accompanies him. Thus, the Mahabharata establishes the age-old relationship between man and dog.
According to the Mahabharata, Bhairava, a ferocious manifestation of Lord Shiva, used a dog as his vahana (vehicle). Yama, the god of death, is believed to have two guard dogs, each with four eyes. The dogs are thought to guard the gates of Naraka, the Hindu version of Hell. Due to this belief, this day is also known as Naraka Chaturdashi.
Day 3- Gai Tihar and Lakshmi Puja
The morning of the third day is known as Gai (cow) Tihar. In Hinduism, the cow is regarded a sacred animal. There is a notion that Mahalakshmi is present in the anus of a cow or its excretory products (Gobar and Gomutra). Hindus consider the cow as a particularly gentle animal that gives far more than it receives. Cows produce milk, cheese, ghee, pee, and dung. While the first three can be consumed, urine is thought to offer health benefits, and dung is burned as fuel or used as fertilizer. Thus, on the third day of Tihar, Nepali Hindus express their thanks to the cow by feeding it goodies and honoring it with tikas and garlands.
The third day is often regarded as the most important day of the Tihar festival. Lakshmi, the festival’s patron goddess, is welcomed into homes that have been cleaned and decorated with marigold garlands on the doorways and windows. Diyos are placed throughout the house, particularly indoors and windowsills, and electric lights are hung over residences in the belief that the goddess will not visit gloomy homes. In the evening, a special puja is done to Lakshmi in the hopes of bringing her money, success, and health.
Day 4- Govardhan Puja and Mha Puja
The fourth day of Tihar is known as Goru Puja, during which the ox is honored and celebrated. The ox is regarded as an alternative to the cow in Hinduism because it performs physical labor, which is especially significant in an agricultural country like Nepal. Vaishnav Hindus also perform Govardhan Puja, which is a worship of the holy Govardhan mountain. A clump of cow dung is used to represent the mountain and is venerated.
The fourth day of Tihar usually coincides with the first day of the Nepal Sambat calendar, making it the festive Mha Puja for the Newar culture. Mha Puja is a unique custom in which the self and soul within are celebrated.
Day 5- Bhai Tika
The fifth and last day of Tihar is called Bhai Tika. On this final day, which is celebrated with much fanfare across the country, brothers and sisters mark their special bond by worshipping each other with giving gifts to each other to express their feelings.
The legend goes that when the goddess Yamuna’s brother fell mortally ill, Yama the god of death came to take his soul. Yamuna pleaded with the death god to wait until she had finished her final puja for her brother. She then embarked on a long elaborate ceremony that grew to include Yama. The Yamuna then asked Yama to not take away her brother until the tika on his forehead had faded, the oil she had sprinkled on him had dried and the Makhamali Ful Ko Mala (Gomphrena globosa) garlands she had put around his neck had wilted.
Thus, on the fifth day of Tihar, sisters create a protective barrier of holy water and blessed oil around their brothers, circumambulating them several times. A special garland made out of the makhamali flower (Gomphrena globosa) is placed around the brother’s neck as this flower is known for its long life. The tika placed on the forehead of the brother is also unique in that it consists of seven different colors. The tika is also placed on the sister’s forehead by the brother.
The ceremony is performed regardless of whether the brother is older or younger than the sister and first or second cousins are also eligible for the ceremony. In the end, the brother touches the feet of their sisters with their forehead, signifying love, respect and devotion. The brothers receive a variety of cooked food such as sel roti, fruits, and packaged food while the sisters receive cash or other gifts such as clothing.
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