Diwali / Tihar
First day of Diwali/Tihar festival begins with the worship of the bird, Crow (known as the messenger of Death or the Informant of Yama-God of Death). People offer food, sweets and worship the bird with a hope that it will only bring good news year around.
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The second day of Tihar is called ‘Kukur (Dog) Tihar’. On this day, people worship the best friend of human, dog; which mythologically is referred to as agent of Yama (God of Death)
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The pavements that lead to the main entrance and the way up to the Puja Kotha (worship room) is marked like a red carpet, believed to be the path which Goddess Laxmi(Goddess of Wealth) takes while entering the house. In front of every house people make rangoli or mandala (decoration with colors).
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The fourth day of the Tihar festival, is called ‘Goru Tihar/Govardhan Puja/ Mha Puja.’ The day begins with the worship of Govardhan (symbolic representation of mountain).
The Newar community has their own celebration in the evening of this day, The Mha Puja (Self Worship) falls on the Newari New Year 'Nhu Dan 1141' known as Nepal Sambat. On this auspicious day, the Newari community worship their own self and pray for physical, and spiritual wellbeing.
Rituals of bhai tika include breaking a walnut-implying she destroyed the hardship that stands on the way of her brother’s success; putting on a garland of ‘Makhamali’ flowers, reflecting the myth of a sister who saved her brother’s life from Yama (God of Death), as she requested him to wait for the ‘Makhmali’ flower to wither and die, before he could take her brother’s soul.
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