Tihar , the Festival of Lights and Prosperity

 

Tihar is a five-day-long vibrant festival celebrated in Nepal and India. Also known as Yama Panchak or Deepawali, this festival is also called the festival of lights as the term Deep translates to the flame of an oil lamp. This festival is the second biggest festival after Vijaya Dashami and falls around in the month of October.

An Oil Lamp

It is believed that during this time, the Goddess of Prosperity i.e. Laxmi visits every household. In order to attract her, people decorate their houses with flowers and lamps. However, in contemporary times, the usage of electric lights and lamps has become a trend. During Tihar festivals, people stay up till late involved in singing, dancing, and playing with firecrackers. 

The first day of the festival is Kaag Tihar, where foods are offered to Crows and Ravens. In Hindu Mythology, these birds are depicted as the messengers of Yama, the god of Death.

The second day is Kukur Tihar, where dogs are worshipped and offered food. It does not matter if it is a pet or a stray dog as they are also depicted as messengers of Yama. Besides being a loyal companion to humans, they are also regarded as the ride of Bhairava, the fierce form of Lord Shiva.

Cow worshipped during Tihar

The third day is dedicated to Cow and is called Gai Tihar. On this day cows are worshipped as they are regarded as mothers. In this culture, cows have been an important asset for the advancement of this civilization. Cows have been reared for milk and other dairy products. Besides, cow dung and urine are the major sources of fertilizer used by the people in their farms. Cow urine is believed to have a great therapeutic and medicinal value. Thus, Cows have been worshipped as Goddess Lakshmi in Hindu Culture.  In the evening, Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped in order to invoke prosperity into peoples’ homes and lives.

The fourth day is called Gobardhan puja and Oxes are worshipped. In an agriculture-based culture, Oxes are the major source of manure as fertilizers and are used for ploughing the fields. This particular day is to pay homage for their service to humanity. In Hinduism, a Bull is the ride of Lord Shiva and is revered for its patience.

The fifth day is called Bhai Tika, where siblings gather and worship each other to mark their bonding. The mythological story states that the brother of Goddess Yamuna fell ill and the God of Death Yama came to take the soul. However, she was able to convince Yama not to do so by performing the elaborate ritual of creating a protective barrier by holy water and oil. A similar ritual is performed on this day, as sisters put Tika on their brothers’ forehead and a garland around their neck. Then the brother puts Tika on the sister’s forehead. This also signifies the wish for a long and prosperous life of the other sibling. Brother is offered delicious food and sister is offered gifts and money as an offering. 

Offerings during Bhai Tika 

Despite being known as the Festival of Lights, this festival has many significant aspects to it. As the nights start to get longer and the temperature starts dropping down, this festival encourages people to become more active with the help of lights, music, and dance. Bhailo is famous among youngsters, where, they visit every household in the community singing and dancing. After receiving offerings from the owner, they leave with a good luck wish and move to the next house.