Tihar Festival – The Festival of Colors and Joy

Tihar festival also known as Dipawali is a five day long festival celebrated by Hindu people all over the world. The festival comes just after the biggest and longest festival, Dashain Festival where each day has its significance in Nepalese culture and religion. Tihar is also known as festival of lights. Tihar is a time to worship Crow on the first day, Dog on second day, Cow or Goddess Laxmi on third day, Oxen or self on fourth day and brothers on the last day.

In India, Tihar is celebrated as Diwali with the great significance.

Significance of Tihar Festival

• Colorful lights, flowers and oil lamps
• Deusi and Bhailo Songs
• Worshiping various animalas and birds
• worshiping of own soul during Mah Puja
• Eating various delicious foods, sweets and Sel roti.

Government Public Holidays

Nepal Government has given three day long holiday during Tihar festival in Nepal. It is from Laxmi Puja to Bhai Tika ie from November 12 to November 14 2022.

When is Tihar 2022/2079?

Usually Tihar falls in Kartik month of Nepali calendar. In many areas, people are busy on harvesting their rice crops in the fields. Rice paddy ripe during Kartik/Mangsir.

Autumn is the season of greatest festival in Nepal. Two major festivals Dashain and Tihar falls during autumn.

How Tihar is Celebrated?

A five day long Hindu festival, Tihar is celebrated all over Nepal and India. During the festival, people lit the candles and homemade diyos inside and outside the houses to make it illuminate whole night.

People clean houses, offices and industries to welcome Laxmi and happiness. It has great importance as it exposes the true relationship between human to animals like crows, dogs and cows.

People also make Rangoli made up of colored flavors, sand and flower. They perform a special puja on the Rangoli and make laxmi steps inside the house.

During the festival, people join in gambling. Gambling is not allowed in the rest of year but is allowed during Tihar festival.

First day of Tihar Festival – Kag Tihar (Crow worship day)

On the first day of tihar, early morning Nepalese people prepare for the worship of crow (Kag in Nepali). They set out small dishes along with coins and green leaves. Crows are considered as the messenger of the Lord of Death and symbolizes sadness and grief in Hinduism.

Second Day of Tihar Festival –  Kukur (Dog) Tihar

The second day of the tihar is for the worship of dogs with flower garland around their neck, tika and special food.

People offer red tika on their forehead, garlands on their neck and delicious food (Sel Roti). Dogs are good friends of humans and show their loyalty by protecting the house.

Newari people celebrate this day as Chicha Puja. This day is also known as “Narak Chaturdarshi”.

Third Day of Tihar Festival – Gai/Goddess Laxmi Tihar

The third day of tihar, laxmi puja is of vial important for the sacred cow is worshiped in the morning and goddess of wealth, together with the family treasures, at night.the morning of third day is Gai tihar (worship of the cow) in Hinduism, cow signifies prosperity, and wealth, on this day people show their gratefulness to the cow by garlanding and feeding them with best grass and people worshiped to cow’s body with their foreheads, bow down to her fee, and humbly cral under her stomach on hands and knees by gold coin, flower, tika. Houses are cleaned and doorways and windows are decorated with garlands made sayapatri (marigolds)and makhamali.

Laxmi Puja

In the evening laxmi, the goddess of wealth s thanked for all the benefits that were bestowed on the families by lighting oil lamps (Diyo)or candles on doorways and windows to well come prosperity and well being. At night the girl enjoy dancing and visiting all the house of the neighborhood with musical instruments, singing and dancing knows Bhaillo all night long collecting money as tip from house and share the bounty almost themselves.

Fourth Day Govardhan Puja or Mha Puja

On the fourth day of tihar ,there are three different known pujas,depending on the peoples cultural background.it is observed as Goru,tihar or goru puja (worship f oxen)people follow vaishnavism perform Govardhan puja which worship towards goverdhan mountain,cow dung is taken as representative of the mountain an d is worshiped Additionally on the night perform Mha puja (worship of self). This day is seen as the beginning of the New Nepal Sambat calender year.

Mha Puja

Mha Puja is an annual ritual and special day of Newar community to purify their own body. The day is celebrated as the New Year of Nepal Sambat which occurs during the Swanti festival.

Mha Puja literally means the worship of the self.

Last Day Bhai Tika

What is the auspicious hour for Bhai Tika 2022?

The best tika time of this year is 11:55 Am on November 9.

The great last day of tihar is a time when every boy and man in Nepal must be worshiped by his sister and received their blessing thus being assured prosperity for the coming year and long and healthy life. So important is Bhai Tika or Brother Blessing, that if a man has no sisters close female relative or friend is honored to bestow this benedictine this day sister put seven color tika is applied on the brother forehead and put makhamali garlands and brother give to sister some money or gifts.the festival strengthens the close relationship between brother and sister.

Deusi Songs

Deusi or Deusire is the songs sung by male members of the society. A group of males get together, carry the local musical instruments play and sing deusi songs door to door. In return, house owners offer flowers, fruits, Sel Roti and money. Nowadays, deusire songs are sung for funding for welfare and social activities.

Jhilimili Deusi Bhailo Tihar New Song by AXATA, Nawaj Ansari and Roland Carbety Miclee

Behind the Deusi Bhailo Song

Sarangi : Prince Nepali
Keys/Music Producer : Almoda Rana Uprety
Camera : Umang Shahi/Bizu Karmacharya
Dir/Edit :Bizu Karmacharya
Produced By : Kripa Drishya Digital Studio
Special appearance: Nima Rumba, Naren Limbu, Aman Pratap Adhikary, Shiva Lamichhane (C-WAZ and family), Pavel Udas, Shanta Nepali, Alok Thapa, Roshan Lama, Kali Prasad Baskota and Hercules Basnet.

Deusi Bhailo Song from Kohinoor Film

Movie: “Kohinoor” Banner: Nepa Movies Pvt. Ltd., Shree krishna Shrestha’s Presentation
Story/Director: Akash Adhikari
Choreographer: Basanta Shrestha
Music: Shambhujeet Baskota
Lyrics: Sunder Shrestha
Singer: Anju Panta, Pramod Kharel

Deusi Bhailo Song Diula Aashis by Resham Sapkota

Tareli Sangeet Kunj Presents :-
Song:- Resham Sapkota
Vocal: – Resham Sapkota/Radhika Hamal/Gobinda Bhandari/Kala Gurung
Managed By:- SG Adhikari
Lyrics / Arranger:- Resham Sapkota
Director:- Manisha Rai
Cinematographer:- Rahul Rai
Editor:- Bikash BC
Model:- Manisha/Pritam/Priya/Prem

Nepali Superhit Movie Pardeshi Tihar Song

Movie: Pardeshi
Singer – Narayan Rayamajhi & Tika Pun
➤ Lyrics – Narayan Rayamajhi , Sanjeevani
➤ Music – Narayan Rayamajhi
➤ Artists – Prashant Tamang, Rajani K.C
➤ Producer – Rajesh Bansal & Narayan Rayamajhi
➤ Director – Narayan Rayamajhi

Tihar Kids Song

Bhailo Songs

Onwards third day, females of society get together and sing Bhailini songs. They visit door to door with the musical instruments, singing and dancing all night. They give blessings to the family and house they visited and in return, the house owners offer money and homemade treats.

Bhaileni Aye Aagana, Tihar Song from Sworga Film

Movie: Sworga
Song: Bhaileni Aye Aagana
Starring: Nir Shah, Gauri Malla, Shiva Shrestha, Shuvadra Adhikari, Pawan Mainali, Bhimbar Singh Thapa
Producer: Arjun Shrestha
Director: Shambhu Pradhan

Sworga Full Movie

Flowers

Saya Patri (Marrigolds)

Makhamali (Gomphrena globosa)