Tihar, also known as Deepawali and Yamapanchak or Swanti, is a five-day-long Hindu festival celebrated in Nepal and Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal. Tihar is analogous to the Indian festival of Diwali, the festival of lights, but with some significant differences. The five days of Tihar include celebration and worship of the four creatures associated with the Hindu god of death Yama.
About Tihar (festival) in brief
Tihar, also known as Deepawali and Yamapanchak or Swanti, is a five-day-long Hindu festival celebrated in Nepal and Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal. Tihar is analogous to the Indian festival of Diwali, the festival of lights, but with some significant differences. The five days of Tihar include celebration and worship of the four creatures associated with the Hindu god of death Yama, with the final day reserved for people themselves. The festival is novel in that it shows reverence to not just the gods, but also to animals such as crows, cows, and dogs that have long-lived alongside humans. In the Hindu epic The Mahabharata, the five Pandavas are followed by a dog as they ascend to Svarga, the abode of the gods. The cow is an important animal in Hinduism and is considered sacred and thus the goddess of wealth and Lakshmi is also considered sacred.
The first day is called Kaag Tihar, believed to be the messengers of the death god Yama. On this day, all dogs, whether pets or strays, are offered treats and worshipped by placing a tika on their forehead and garlands of marigolds around their necks. Children also go from house to house, singing songs and asking for gifts in the form of money and foodstuff. Firecrackers are often set off during the festival, although the Nepal government has placed a ban on the use of firecrackers in recent years citing increasing cases of injury. In 2020, Tihar begins on 16 November 2020 and ends on 20 November 2020. In the Gregorian calendar, it falls sometime between October and November every year.
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This page is based on the article Tihar (festival) published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 08, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
