Tihar, or Deepawali, one of the Hindu’s greatest festivals began in the country with the observation of Kag Tihar on Sunday. The festival is celebrated from Trayodashi of Kartik Krishna to Katrik Shukla Dwitiya every year. The five day Hindu festival is considered to be of great importance as it shows reverence to not just the humans and the Gods, but also to the animals like crow, cow and dog, who maintain an intense relationship with the humans.

Deepawali is also called Yampanchak as it is celebrated for five days. The first day of the festival is called Kag Parva. The crow, which is considered messenger for Lord of Death, Yama Raj is worshipped by offering sweets and delicious dishes today. The cawing of the crows symbolises sadness and grief in the Hindu mythology, so the devotees offer the crows dishes to avert grief and deaths in their homes.

The second day of the festival is Kukur Tihar, when the dogs, considered to be an obedient pet and guard of the human, are worshipped and offered garlands, tika and meals.

On the third day, the mother of the universe, cow is worshipped by the Hindus. Cow is considered to be the surrogated mother of the human as per the Hindu myths, so they worship her with tika, garlands and fruits on the day. Laxmi, the goddess of fortune is also worshipped in each house in the evening on this day. Houses, bazaars and offices are decorated with colourful papers, lights, lamps and candles and at evening. Goddess Laxmi is worshipped with flowers, incense sticks, oil lamps, color-powders, bell and money. The females in the house also make symbolic foot-prints upto the entrance of the puja room and the house and pray to make their houses prosperous in the days to come.

The hurly-burly in the market is quiet different as compared to other days of the year. Groups especially of the children visit houses and shops reciting Bhailo and deusi, special songs for tihar during evening hours. The sounds of crackers add charismatic view to the scene of lights, lamps and candles in the towns and villages.

On the last day, also known as Bhai Tika Day, the brothers are offered tika and garland along with flowers, oil, fruits and gifts by the sisters, wishing their long age and prosperity while the brothers give gifts and cash to their sisters with love. 

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