The Tihar festival, also known as Deepawali or Diwali, is the second largest festival celebrated in Nepal. This festival is celebrated for five days and symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. The festival honors the various animals, including crows, dogs, and cows. Each of the 5 days of Tihar in Nepali society is celebrated with love, respect, and gratitude towards animals and goddesses.
The Tihar festival in Nepal is also called the festival of lights. During the festival, homes and temples are decorated with colorful lights and oil lamps. The rangolis are made and homes and temples are cleaned. People exchange gifts, sing, dance, and enjoy feasts with family and friends.
Tihar meaning is lights in rows. The term tihar is derived from the Sanskrit words Deepa and Avail. Deepa means light, and avaail means row. Collectively, it is a reference to the decorative lights that illuminate homes during the festival. The festival unites the family members, especially brothers and sisters who were separated due to the sister’s marriage.
The festival is the second largest Hindu festival after the dashain festival. Read the blog till the end to learn more about the Tihar festival celebrations in Nepal. There are a couple of paragraph about Tihar festival with some catchy facts, so stay tuned.
When is Tihar celebrated in Nepal?
The Tihar festival 2024 is celebrated in Nepal from October 30 to November 3, 2024. According to the Nepali calendar, it falls from Kartik 14 to Kartik 18, 2081. The Nepali Tihar festival lasts five days and ends with Bhai tika rituals.
Importance of Tihar festival in Nepal
There is huge importance of the Tihar festival in Nepal. The festival is deeply rooted in cultural, spiritual, and social dimensions. During the festival, the bonds between humans and animals are celebrated. The festival resects and honors the role that animals like crows, dogs, cows, and oxen play in the daily lives of humans and agriculture in Nepal.
The Tihar festival celebrations have spiritual significance also. On the third day, Goddess Laxmi (the goddess of wealth and prosperity) is worshpped. It is believed in Nepalese society that worshipping the Laxmi goddess brings wealth and prosperity to their homes. In addition, the crows and dogs are worshipped on the first and second days of the festival. The local believes that by doing so, the well-being of the deceased and protecting the living from misfortune are ensured.
When the festival comes, the homes are decorated and lit along with flowers and rangolis. The Tihar lighting is done by traditional lamps as well as modern lighting. In addition, the Tihar festival becomes an important occasion for family reunions and gatherings. The rituals like tika ceremonies, gift exchanges, and blessings strengthen familial ties.
History of Tihar Festival in Nepal
Tihar history is deeply rooted in the Hindus’s mythology. According to Hindu mythology, the Yama (the god of death) and his sister, Yamuna, were not to be able to meet each other for a long time. So, in deep desire to meet her brother, Yamuna sent messages through crows, dogs, and cows inviting her brother to visit her.
After getting the messages, Yama granted Yamuna’s wish by visiting her house. As a result, Yama blessed her with a boon that any brother who visits his sister on this day and accepts her hospitality will be protected from death. Since then, the Tihar festival is celebrated with joy and happiness. The main theme of Tihar Nepal 2024 is the reunion of siblings and strengthening their ties.
Five Days of Tihar
The tihar has its name called Yamapanchak, which is called celebration of the union of the god Yama and his sister Yamuna. Each day is important and has its rituals, and traditions. During the 5 days of Tihar, Crow, Dog, Cow, Goddess Laxmi, oxen and symbolic Govardhan hill, are worshipped in different days.
-
Day 1: Kaag Tihar (Crow Festival)
Kaag Tihar is the first day of Tihar festival celebrations. This day is dedicated to honoring crows. There is a special importance of crows in Hindu mythology. According to Hindu mythology, the crow symbolizes the messenger of death and the link between the living world and the afterlife. It is believed that crows carry the souls of the departed to heaven. The crows are often linked with the Lord Yama, the god of death.
The rituals and customs associated with the Crow Festival include offering the foods to crows. Early in the morning, food items including sweets, fruits, nuts, and cooked rice are offered to the crows. These offerings are placed on the roof tops or the other elevated surfaces.
-
Day 2: Kukur Tihar (Dog Festival)
Kukur Tihar is the second day of the Tihar celebrations, in which kukur (dog) is honored and respected. According to Hindu mythology, dogs are said to guard the gates of the afterlife. Besides this story, dogs are considered guardians of households, and their presence is believed to protect families from evil spirits.
There are various rituals associated with these auspicious days, including garlanding dogs, applying tika, and feeding special foods to them. During this day, families gather to express their appreciation for the dogs. People who have pet dogs bathe them and worship, while those who don’t have the dogs worship and feed the stray dogs.
-
Day 3: Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja (Cow Festival and Worship of Goddess Laxmi)
The third day of Tihar is called Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja. It is the day in which the cows are honored and goddess Laxmi (the goddess of wealth and prosperity) is worshipped. In Hindu culture, cows are revered as symbols of motherhood, fertility, and benevolence. The milk of the cow is considered pure, and the cowdung and urine are used as fertilizer and fuel.
The rituals associated with the cow festival begin with cleaning and decorating the cow shed. Early in the morning, the cows are bathed and adorned with garlands made of marigold flowers. Then, a sacred mark (tika) is applied to their foreheads. Then, the cows are worshipped, and then various food items, including grains, fruits, and sweets, are offered to them.
As the day transitions from morning light to evening, the laxmi puja is started. The houses are cleaned and decorated with lights and diyos. Rangoli designs are created at the entrance of the home using colored powders, rice, and flower petals. Then,. A sacred altar is prepared in the prayer room where the idols of the goddess Laxmi, along with Lord Ganesha and other deities, are placed.
Then, families gather to perform puja for laxmi, offering a variety of items, including jewelry and money, sweets, and fruits. In addition, special food items like sel roti (a sweet, deep-fried rice bread) are prepared and shared among family members.
-
Day 4: Govardhan Puja and Goru Puja (Oxen Festival and worship of Goverdhan Hill)
The 4th day of Tihar is called Govardhan Puja or Oxen Festival. There is the story in which Lord Krishna used Goverdhan Hill to protect the village of Vrindavan from the wrath of Indra (god of rainfall). Devotees create the symbolic representation of the Goverdhan Hill using the cow dung and then decorate it with colorful flowers and other embellishments.
The variety of food items (vegetarian items) are offered to the Lord Krishna, and prayers and aarti are performed. On the same day, the ox is also worshipped. The ox is bathed and adorned with garlands made of marigold flowers, and a sacred mark (tika) is applied to their foreheads. Then worship is done.
-
Day 5: Bhai Tika (Brother-Sister Day)
Bhai tika, also known as Tihar tika, is the fifth and last day of the Tihar festival. It is the day in which the sisters apply tika to their brother’s forehead. This ritual emphasizes love, respect, and protection within the sibling relationship. There are various rituals and celebrations associated with this day, including applying Tika, garlanding with Makhamali flowers, exchanging gifts, and feasing together.
At first, sisters worship their brothers with various rituals. And then, apply tika, which is made from seven different colors. Then, sisters adorn their brothers with garlands made from makhamali flowers . After the tika ceremony, brothers give gifts to their sisters. Then, family come together to share the prepared meals together.
Cultural practices and decorations during the Tihar festival
The Tihar festival is full of unique cultural practices and decorations. One popular practice that is followed till date is the Deusi and Bhailo programs. In Deusi and Bhailo, groups of children and young adults visit homes singing traditional songs and dancing; in return, the people of the particular home give them gifts. During this event, people greet each other by saying happy tihar.
The card and dice games are also popular during the festival time. Families gather and play card games and dice games. This game adds festive spirit to the celebrations. However, according to the notice for Tihar 2081, playing card or dice games along with money investing is considered bad activity and is prohibited.
The tihar is famous for the lights and decorations. During the festival time, the homes are illuminated with diyos (oil lamps), decorated with rangolis, and fireworks are used for celebrations. The Nepali tihar flower, like Marigold, is popular during the festival time. Also, symbolic decorations like garlands and tika are used for various rituals, enhancing the festive ambiance and symbolizing blessings from elders to younger family members.
Special Foods and Sweets of Tihar
The special part about the Tihar festival is delicious sweets and savory treats. During the festival, a variety of food items are prepared and shared among family members. Some of the items include Barfi, Peda, Milk Peda, Lakhamari, Anarsa, Sel Roti, Phini Roti, Chini Roti, Dal, Bhat, and Masu, Kadhi Badi, Besan ko Tarkari, and so on.
These food items are shared among the family members. The shared foods strengthen family bonds, foster unity, habits, and create rituals. The preparation of these food items needs collaboration and teamwork, which further enhances their bonds.
Tips to tourists visiting during Tihar
- Engage in this traditional singing and dancing activity, Deusi and Bhailo.
- Combine your visit with kathmandu heritage tour and explore heritage sites
- Do shopping in Thamel market place
- Be cautious about consuming street food
- Respect animals and perticipate in animal worship responsibly
- Be mindful of pedestrians while navigating busy streets during the festival
- Consider joining organized photography tours that capture the essence of Tihar
- Go for the trekking like everest base camp trek, annapurna base camp trek, manaslu circuit trek and so on to enjoy the festival celebrations in himalayan region.
Conclusion
The Tihar festival is the second largest festival that is celebrated all over Nepal. The festival honors animals like crows, dogs, cows, and oxen, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness. The best part about the Tihar festival is that it strengthens the bond between siblings, particularly on Bhai Tika, the final day.
One can notice the changes like lights, rangolis, and flowers, when the festival days come nearer. The special food items are prepared and shared among family members. The tihar festival becomes more special with the cultura; activities like Deusi and Bhailo program. This festival truly reflects gratitude, spiritual significance, and the strengthening of familial and social ties.
