Tihar is the most friendly of festivals at the loveliest time of the year. Tihar, also known as Deepawali or Bhai Tika, is the second great Hindu festival of Nepal. It is primarily a family holiday, without throngs of people and great chariot processions, but one always enjoyed by visitors. It is a time of lights and tinsel decorations, fancy sweets and holiday fruits. It is like a traditional Western Christmas — flickering oil lamps light every window, flags and banners span each street, people stroll around in bright new clothes, buying food and gifts.
Lovely Laxmi, wife of Lord Vishnu and Goddess of Prosperity and Good Fortune, is worshipped and invited into the home. Lord Yama, God of Death, is given offerings and thanks. Animals, brothers and one's own sacred body are worshipped — and all people enjoy five days of feasting and family gatherings.
Lord Yama sits at the Gates of Death and decides the fortunate or unfortu-nate rebirths of all who pass through. One's deeds are, of course, indelibly written in his great book, but it's always wise to keep on his good side. The ill-omened crow is Yama's messenger and the first day of Tihar is the Day of the Crow. Leaf dishes of rice, incense and light are set out for the dark messenger, in hopes that he won't bring tidings of misfortune in the coming year.
For traditional physicians, the day is even more significant. It is believed that Dhanwantari, the physician of the gods, was born on this day; hence all practi-tioners of the healing arts worship Dhanwantari, asking for his blessings.
The second day of Tihar is Kukur Puja, Worship of the Dog. Early in the morning, the family conducts a ritual to Lord Yama. After this comes the turn of Yama's gatekeeper, the dog. The dog's association with Yama, and its power-ful role as steed of the ferocious god Bhairab, is remembered during the worship. Red tika spots are applied to the dog's forehead and paws and a garland of flowers is placed around its neck. Huge mounds of food, including all kinds of delicacies, are fed to the dog and its neighborhood relatives. After this, the family eats its morning meal, while the dogs happy and full, deco-rated with flowers, go out to sleep in the sun.
The third day, Laxmi Puja, is a day for the worship of the sacred cow and an evening festival of lights for the lovely Goddess of Prosperity. A lavish worship of Laxmi takes place two days ahead of Bhai Tika. In the morning, cows are decorated with garlands of flowers and red tika marks on their foreheads.
The evening is one of the most pleasant times of the festival year. Rows of lamps, either traditional wicks in clay dishes or modern electric bulbs, are placed on all windows, doors and pathways. The main market areas are ablaze with lights and popping with firecrackers.
This evening is the ritual invitation to the Goddess Laxmi to enter the house and bless its occupants, its tools and its money box. In front of the door, a small circle is made of purified cowdung plaster. From the circle a trail of plaster or rice paste leads into the house and the room where Laxmi is worshipped. An image of the goddess is placed on a dish on top of a mound of newly harvested unhusked rice or on the family money box. All the articles of domestic use — pots and pans, garden tools and typewriters — are worshipped.
On this day, all monetarty transacyions are forbidden. The only exception is the giving of coins and food to little groups of bhailo singers, children who sing old, naughty songs from house to housee as part of a time-honored tradition. The evenings explode with youthful chaos with joyful dances and songs. The day of Laxmi Puja brings a number of bhailo singers who visit every house expecting monetary offerings from the household. In the rural settings the locals enjoy the bright evenings with dance and songs, the older generations go door to door singing epic songs of victory and chronicles of the ancient kings.
The fourth day is Newar New Year and the day of Mha Puja, the worship of one's own divine self. Family mem-bers gather together, sitting comfortably on the floor. The father draws ma ndalas, sacred geometric shapes, on the floor with limestone powder, one for each person and one each for Yama and his messenger. First the father, then everyone in turn, presents Yama and each of the family members with offerings — light, flowers, water and special foods for good luck. It is a gentle ceremony of family union and affection, after which all partake in a special feast, which always includes the foods of luck and prosperity: hard-boiled eggs, fried fish and a little wine.
The last day of Tihar is called Bhai Tika, the blessing of the brother. Brothers and sisters must come together on this day, for the brother's health and fortune depends on his sister's blessing at Bhai Tika. First the sister sprinkles a ring of oil and water on the floor around the seated brother for protection from evil spirits. Then she gives him offerings, touching his head, shoulders, arms and knees with water, flowers, rice and incense. Finally, she carefully paints an elaborate tika on his forehead — a vertical yellow stripe and dots of different colors, rather like a small traffic light. Brother and sister exchange gifts — brothers are particularly gener-ous to their sisters on this day — and all sit down for still another Tihar feast.
Thus Tihar ends — with the harvesting of the rice, the beginning of the Newari New Year, assurances of prosperity, and renewed bonds of family affection.
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