Diwali ( Tihar) Festival Tour Package

Diwali is equally important festival as Dashain in Nepal. t is known as the 'festival of light'. Mainly Diwali is celebrayed for five days. The Nepali festival Tihar is also known by many names such as Dipawali or Bhai Tika or Laxmi Puja or as a festival of lights. It is a five-day festival, soon after the Dashain Festival, and is all about worshiping of different animals and the Hindu Goddess of Fortune or Wealth (Goddess Laxmi). Tihar is a festival for brothers and sisters, but if you have no sibling you choose a close relative as a substitute. It is the festival for cooking great meals at home, brothers and sisters shopping for gifts, flying kites, decorating homes and streets, playing cards with friends, resting and relaxing, and finally ending the festival with an exchange of a special temporary mark on forehead (tika in Nepali). The last day of the festival is known as Tika day or popularly known as Bhai Tika day (Bhai in Nepali means Brother). Tihar is a time of candlelight, tinsel decoration and festive coloured sweets.

The first day of Tihar is kag tihar, which is known as the worshiping of crow in which crows are feed and keep happy. Similarly, the second day is kukur tihar which is known as the worshiping of dog,the protector of our homes. The third day is cow tihar when people worship the cow, perform the Laxmi poja by worshiping Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth, and sing the Tihar's songs. As wel l as, on the fourth day we perform various puja and entertain with Tihar songs like Deusi and Bhailo,the ppular song during the tihar.

Finally, the last day is Tika day. Tika is of seven colors Yellow, Orange, Blue, White, Green, Red and Black. A tika of seven colors. Sisters give tika (a coloured powder placed on one's forehead), and mala (a necklace of flowers or also known as flower leis,) to brothers along with wishes for long life and prosperity. Tihar is also the time to re-call their continued wish for a long and a happy life for their brothers. Brothers sit on a floor while sisters perform their puja. Puja involves following a traditional ritual in which sisters circle brothers three times dripping oil on the floor from a copper pitcher. Afterwards, sisters put oil in brother's ears and hairs, and then give Tika. The breaking of walnuts by sisters prior to giving Tika to brothers is also common. Tika starts with placing a banana leave already cut into a line shape placed on the forehead held by one of the sisters, then applying tika base (made from rice paste) in the open space. Then the sister dabs seven colours on top of the base using her fingers or they use a small stick or a brush without the banana leaves. After tika, a flower garland is put around the brother's neck. Then brothers give tika and leis to their sisters in the same fashion. Brothers give gifts such as clothes or money to sisters while sisters give a special gift known as Sagun (which is made of dried fruits and nuts, and candies), and a Tihar feast takes place. Those without a sister or brother, join relatives or friends for tika. Sisters pray for their brother's long life to the Hindu God of Death (Yam Raj).