Tihar is not just a festival of diyas, flowers, and lights, but also a festival of relationships, love, camaraderie, unity, and harmony.
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A parade of twinkling lights! Flowers, garlands, and tikas! Deusi and Bhailo! Gifts and meals! Tihar, the 'festival of light', has entered the Nepali courtyard. However, Tihar is not just a festival of lamps, flowers, and lights, but also a festival of relationships, love, camaraderie, unity, and harmony.
Dhanteras, Lakshmi Puja, makes the market and people dynamic, which is – respect for wealth and labor. Bhai-Tika, i.e. the festival of this feeling, is also a symbol of the affection between brothers and sisters. Worshipping the crow, the symbol of news and information, during Tihar, which is celebrated for 5 days, is a praise for living beings and nature.
Dog Tihar is – respect for man’s closest friend. This friendship between man and dog tells the story of our 30,000-year-old relationship on earth. Tihar says – compassion, responsibility and gratitude stand in the same camp in the beautiful relationship between man and animal. Therefore, it is also a festival that shows love and respect for animals.
Worshiping one’s body and soul in the main puja of the Newas is self-worship. Therefore, it is also a festival of ‘Swa’ i.e. self-respect, which instills self-discipline. Govardhan Puja respects farmers, who discuss the relationship between production and society. Deusi-Bhailo tells the story of our rich cultural stories and songs that are centuries old.
In fact, Tihar is a unique symbol of the deep relationship between people and nature, which is also a living bridge connecting society and culture. This multifaceted rich-cultural festival is not just a religious ritual, but a vibrant social practice and worship of coexistence and self-respect. This bright festival teaches us to understand and discuss nature and balance, life and compassion, labor and respect.
Today's issue of Kantipur Koseli Tihar Special:
