Second biggest festival of Nepali Hindus 'Tihar' commences; Kag Tihar observed across the country today

The second biggest festival of Nepali Hindus 'Tihar' has commenced today. As per ritual, crows were worshiped across the country on the first day of the 5-day festival- also known as 'Yamapanchak'. The first day being Kag Tihar or Kag Puja, crows were worshiped by offerings of sweets and dishes on the roof of the houses. The cawing of the crows symbolizes sadness and grief in the Hindu mythology, so the devotees offer the crows food to avert grief and deaths in their homes. The crow is also regarded as a messenger. Tihar in Nepal represents the divine attachment between human and other animals. The festival is celebrated from Trayodashi of Kartik Krishna to Kartik Shukla Dwitiya every year. Tihar in general signifies the festival of lights, where diyos (oil lamps) are lit both inside and outside the houses to make it illuminate at night. The five-day festival is considered to be of great importance as it shows reverence to not just the humans and the Gods, but also to the animals like crow, cow and dog, who maintain an intense relationship with the humans. The main day of the festival 'Bhaitika' is celebrated on the fifth and final day of the festival. According to Calendar Determination Committee, the auspicious time for receiving Bhaitika this year is at 11:55 am on coming Friday.