Tihar Festival of Lights

Tihar is the second biggest Nepali festival after Dashain. It is usually celebrated for five days. Tihar is the festival of lights and colors. This festival falls in the month of October. During these festivals, people will honor crows, dogs, cows, oxs, brothers as well as Laxmi, goddess of wealth and luck. Several candles will be lit up for the goddess of Laxmi.

Day First – Kaag Tihar / Crow Day during the Tihar Festival of Lights

Kaag Tihar is the day to worship crows. It is also a day for crow and people recognize it as crow day. On this day people will offer rice and sweets to the crow. Crow is the messenger of death according to Hinduism. Hindus believe that crow brings the bad news of death so people worship them to ensure that they will not bring such bad news in their house in the present as well as the future.

Day Second- Kukur Tihar / Dog Day

Today is the day to worship dogs. On this second day, people offer garland, Tika, and delicious food to dogs. This day of the festival also shows a wonderful relationship between dogs and human beings. In every home and street dogs get special treatment and food on this day. It is also believed that Lord Shiva had a dog as a Vahana (vehicle). The god of death also believes to own two guard dogs with four eyes. These dogs are said to watch over the gate of Narka (hell).

Day Third- Gai Tihar / Laxmi Puja (Cow Day)

The morning of the third day is Gai Tihar. In Hinduism, cows signify prosperity and wealth. In ancient times, people used to take lots of benefits from a cow. People use milk, cow dung, and urine for various purposes like food and purification. On this day, people show their great fullness to cows with garlands. They also feed them the best grass and food. On the same day, houses are clean and the doorways and windows are decorated with garlands made of marigold (Sayapatri) and Makhamali (Gomphrena globosa) flowers.

In the evening we will worship Laxmi. She is the goodness of wealth and we thank all the benefits that were given to the families. They also lit up well lamps (Diyo) on the doorways and windows to welcome the Goddess Laxmi. From the third day onward people started celebrating Tihar with Bhailo and Deusi as well as lights and fireworks.  Many people play Deusi and Bhailo to collect funds for welfare and social activities.

Day Fourth- Gobardhan puja (ox day)

On the four days of Tihar, there are three different kinds of Pujas depending on the people’s cultural backgrounds. Mainly ox is worshiped by giving food and it is also called Guru Puja. Some people worship Gobardhan puja by making Gobardhan Mountain from cow dung. Newari people of Kathmandu celebrated Maha Puja (worshipping their own self). This day is the beginning of the New Nepali Sambat Calendar here. Boys perform Deusi visiting different houses.

Day Fifth- Bhai Tika (Brothers Day) during the Tihar Festival of Lights

The fifth and last day of Tihar is Bhai Tika. It is observed the sister applies Tika to the forehead of their brother to ensure their long life. It is believed that the Yamaraj (god of death) announces anyone who receives Tika from his sister will never die on this day. During this day sister offer a sweet, variety of fruits, food, and clothes to their brothers. In return, the brothers give money, and clothes to their sister and promise to save her throughout life. Similarly, people celebrate this day by eating delicious foods, playing cards, swings, Deusi Bhailo, and so on. People gather in the same place to exchange their happiness with each other. In this way, the Tihar festival ends full of joy and people get back to their homes and take rest as well as enjoy their normal life.

Tihar Festival of Lights also falls in the best season time for trekking. This is also the best time for doing Annapurna circuit trek, Upper Mustang Trek, Everest base camp luxury trek as well as Everest base camp trek. People also do the Annapurna base camp trek, Mardi Himal trek, Manaslu trekking as well as the Everest base camp helicopter tour.