Five days of Tihar: What we LEARN from 5 days of celebrations!

Crows are considered as "Messenger of God of Death i.e. Yama" and their cawing symbolize sadness and grief. So, on the first day of Tihar, we worship crows and offer them food and sweets to prevent any bad happenings for the year.

💡Anticipate the losses and learn to avert them!

Dogs are man's best friend! And on the second day, we worship Dogs to honor their friendship with us as well as their ever lasting loyalty and love. We offer them garland, tika and delicious food and acknowledge the cherished relation between humans and dogs. Dogs are considered auspicious as they symbolize Good Luck, Loyalty, Obedience and Prosperity and of course unconditional Love.

💡Be patient and stay loyal. You will definitely rewarded one day!

The morning of third day is Gai Tihar. We show our gratefulness to the cow for providing for the family and the children, by garlanding and feeding them good food.

The evening is marked by worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. It is believed that Lakshmi is restless and does not stay in one place, so by lighting Diyo (oil lamps) or candles on doorways and windows, to welcome her in our homes.

💡 Count your blessings!

Depending on our cultural background, there are two different pujas. One is Goru Puja (worship of the oxen) as a way of thanking the animal for supporting the family by plowing the field, improving production and also helping move things to and from the market on oxen cart. The Newar community on this night performs Mha Puja (worship of the self).

💡 Be grateful to others & yourself!

On the fifth and last day of Tihar i.e. the Bhai Tika, we celebrate our special bond and relationship among brothers and sisters. Both brothers and sisters observe it alike by applying tika on each other’s foreheads to ensure long life of each other and thank them for the protection they provide. We apply a distinct type of seven colored tika and the garland is also made of special Makhamali flower.

💡Your siblings are always there for you!

Deusi/Bhailo are equally important and without doubt the most exciting part of Tihar celebrations for many. People of all ages form their peer group and go to house after house telling the story of Tihar, with one person narrating and the rest repeating in chorus. In return the homeowners give them money, fruit and selroti.

💡Understand the power and joy of giving!