Kathmandu, Nov 6: Tihar, Nepal’s second biggest festival, begins today. In the ancient Mithila region, including Mahottari district in Madhes Province, the festival traditionally opens with Dhanteras, marked by lighting rows of lamps in the evening.
Usually celebrated over five days, from the 13th day of the waning moon in the month of Kartik to the second day of the waxing moon, this year’s festival extends to six days because of variations in the lunar calendar.
According to Mahesh Kumar Jha, an expert in Maithil rituals, families in Mithila traditionally celebrate Dhanteras by lighting lamps and worshipping newly purchased metal utensils or jewellery on the evening of the 13th lunar day.
Although the 12th lunar day prevails at sunrise today, the 13th day begins before noon, making today the appropriate occasion for Dhanteras, Jha said.
In the Mithila region, the dates of festivals, religious observances, ancestral rites and auspicious ceremonies are determined using the Mithila Panchang and Vidyapati Panchang.
Locally known as Diwali, the festival begins with worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity. Families buy metal jewellery and utensils, install an image of Lakshmi in their homes and perform rituals to seek her blessings.
The festival begins with rows of lamps lit outside homes. Buying new metal items, including utensils and jewellery, as well as brooms and coriander, is also a longstanding Dhanteras tradition.
Citing the panchang, Jha said the 13th lunar day begins at 11:10 am today and continues until 10:47 am on Saturday. Crow worship and Dhanwantari Jayanti, which also fall on the 13th lunar day, will be observed on Saturday.
The five-day Diwali celebrations in Mithila will conclude next Wednesday with Bhai Dooj, according to Maithil tradition. The panchang schedules Kukur Tihar, the worship of dogs, on Sunday morning, followed by Lakshmi Puja that evening.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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