Unlike other Hindu festivals, instead of worshiping only the Gods, Tihar has a unique culture of worshiping Yamaraj, the God of Death from Hell. This festival also encourage Human-Animal Relationship. The festival goes for 5 days starting the thirteenth day of the waning moon in October or early November. Each day is specialized to worship Yamaraj's hencemen - crow and dog, Laxmi (god of wealth), mountain, oxen and brother. There are several myths behind the festival but the joyful family gathering, celebration between bother and sister and blessing eachother along with gifts is the main ideas behind.
Yamaraj is a lord of hell who control death as believed. One myths is related with this belief that after reunion with his lost sister Yamuna after long, the god of death is said to have order his hencemen not to kill anyone on earth for these five days. Since then, the five days became Tihar and people start celebrating life with enthusiasm, seeking to garner more wealth by worshiping Laxmi, a wealth-goddess.
After cleaning house, festival shopping and other preperation, first day of the festival is celebrated by feeding and worshiping crow and is called "Kag Tihar". As crow is considered as a hencemen of Yamaraj that disseminate the message of death to humans. So many crows squaking in the morning in front of your house is taken as a bad-luck or expect bad news. Feeding crow and worshiping the first day of the festival is like pleasing and requesting crow not to disseminate the bad news like any death. This cultural belief somehow proves the human-animal relations from hundreds of years.
Second day of the festival is Called "Kukur Tihar" on which people feed and worship their dog. Dog guards the gate to the Yamaraj's palace. It is also the steed of the fearful Bhairab, the god of destruction. As first day is to worship crow to avoide any bad news during the festival, second day is to worship dog to guard properly. Even the dogs roaming in the streets without any attention from people other days get concern this day and seen with garlands dangling on their neck.
Worshiping Cow and Oxen occur in the third and forth day along with worshiping Laxmi, Goddess of wealth and Gobhardhan mountain. Cow is also a national animal of Nepal and Hindus consider cow as a mother and benefactor. As Oxen is very useful animal in human civilization for transportation, agriculture and etc. it is given importance in this festival.
Visit again tomorrow for more post on other days of festival and its importance.
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