My tihar experience

Tihar is the second biggest Nepalese festival after Dashain. It is considered to be of great importance as it shows a contribution to not just the humans and the gods, but also to the animals like crows, cows, and dogs that maintain an intimate relationship with humans. People make patterns on the floor of living rooms or courtyards using several coloured flowers in ancients days nowadays they use the materials such as colored rice, dry flour, colored sand or flower petals outside their house, called Rangolihar is the second biggest Nepalese festival after Dashain. It is considered to be of great importance as it shows a contribution to not just the humans and the gods, but also to the animals like crows, cows, and dogs that maintain an intimate relationship with humans. People make patterns on the floor of living rooms or courtyards using several coloured flowers in ancients days nowadays they use the materials such as colored rice, dry flour, colored sand or flower petals outside their house, called Rangoli.

Crows and ravens are worshiped by offerings of sweets and dishes placed on the roofs of houses. The cawing of crows and ravens symbolizes sadness and griebe for nepali culture, so devotees offer crows and ravens food to avert grief and death in their homes. Tihar represents the divine attachment between humans and other animals.

Another interesting observation during Tihar days in Nepal is gambling: during the days of the festival, it's allowed to gamble, while the rest of the year it's illegal for Nepalese citizens to gamble.It is placed on the roofs of houses. The cawing of crows and ravens symbolizes sadness and grief in Nepali culture, so devotees offer crows and ravens food to avert grief and death in their homes. Tihar represents the divine attachment between humans and other animals.

Another interesting observation during Tihar days in Nepal is gambling: during the days of the festival, it's allowed to gamble, while the rest of the year it's illegal for Nepalese citizens to gamble.

Dashain

                                       

     MY DASHAIN EXPERIENCE

Dashain is greatest festival of Hindus. According to Hindu myths this festival is celebrated on the auspicious occasion of victory of truth against false, good against bad, god against monster and moral against amoral. Hindu believes goddess Durga made victory against monster in these ten days of this festival. So Hindu prays goddess Durga for her victory and making whole world free from the evil. Many stories had been written and narrated relating with Dashain in Hindus holy books.

This festival is celebrated for about ten days in Brahmin community and about fifteen days in other communities. It is started from the day of Ghatsthapana and ended at purnima. In the day of Ghatsthapana seed of maize are planted in wet mud after praying god without eating any food. Those seedlings are called as Jamara. Those seedlings are kept in shade to make them yellow color which is one of the characteristics of Jamara. These jamaras are used in Phulpati, Asthami,Nawami and Vijaya Dashami to pray god and goddess and also along with tika of dashain. Hindus, Mostly in Phlupati and some in Asthami, gives sacrifice of goat, Changrya, Buffalo, Pig, Cock,  etc. according to their own traditions followed by different casts. Those fleshes of animals were eaten during Dashain Period. Prayer of Nava- Durga (Nine Durga) is done in Nawami of Dashain. In the day of Vijaya Dashami tika and blessing is taken from elder members of family and visits relatives to take tika with blessings. Money is also given along with tika and blessing to relatives. Dashain ends with Vijaya Dashami in Brahmin community but other community put tika upto Purmina. But now-a-days in Brahmin community also tika and blessing were given and taken if some close members of family were unable to reach to their relatives in the day of Vijaya Dashami.

The time to put tika was exactly on 11:55 a.m.We received tika and garlands from our elders.My father,uncle cut the goat in the day of Asthami as everybody do.

                 

We clicked some photographs during dashain.