Diwali at Home: Memories!

Offerings for my brothers in Chennai hostel!

Chennai:

The smell of burning deeyo, houses colorfully lit, the sound of madal, youths singing bhaileri, firecrackers lighting the sky and sight of my brother's forehead covered in tika with marigold garlands hanging on his neck: these are the precious moments I will miss most this Tihar (Diwali).

The festival of lights – Dipawali, Tihar or Panchak Yama -- is celebrated for five days at home in Nepal. It is considered the second most important festival in the former Hindu kingdom. A festival when the crow, dog, cow and ox are worshipped on each day and in that order, making it an occasion to celebrate the animal. The festival concludes with sisters worshipping their brothers on the fifth day. 

Tika ^^

This year, the festival starts on Sunday when everyone will offer delicacies to the crow, the 'messenger'.  On this day we offer it selroti, meethai and rice on a leaf-plate. Unlike the crows here in Chennai, the ones back home are scared of human beings. So, we keep the plates on the terraces, the food often being eaten away by pigeons if the crows show up late. 

Preparations and offerings: though i ended up
eating all of them myself..:D

The second day is dedicated to man's best friend: dog. Even street dogs, usually kicked and swore upon, are worshipped.  We have a pet dog, Thople, and I never had to go looking for one in the streets. I will miss putting the red tika and garland on my rather reluctant Thople. Though he doesn't have a problem with the tika, he particularly seems to hate the garland.

The third day is all about the cow, called gaai tihar. 

By noon on this day, every cow roaming the  the streets of Kathmandu will be covered in different colours and garlands. The day is usually hectic for women. They have to clean the house and decorate it with flowers. The women make candles and deeyas ready while cooking delicacies for bhaileries and deuseries (group of people who go from home to home dancing and singing). Bhaileries and deuseries get food with money and gifts in return from families.

Yellow colorful caterpillars???
Nope.
They are tika offered to my brothers. ^^

Why all the trouble on this day? Well, you see money matters and this particular evening is believed to be the night when the goddess of wealth, Laxmi, enters the house. The evening starts with singing and dancing, lighting of firecrackers and burning candles.

From this day, bhaileries and deuseries never know if it's two in the morning or five in the evening; they are always there entertaining the families and neighborhood while drinking and feasting on offered delicacies. And, before leaving, they get their 'dakshina' from the family.

For an agrarian country, ox is important to a Nepali's livelihood. In the villages, if you do not own an ox, you are considered poor - which could be the reason why each of us tries to have at least one ox in the house! So, on the fourth day we worship the ox by painting their horns and body with different natural colours and offer them food. This day in fact goes fast. Deuseries and bhaileries are always on the door and family celebrations see no end. 

The fifth day is special when we offer worship to our brothers for their long life, success and happiness. It is believed that sisters are able to prolong their brother's life from the god of death, Yama Raja, if they worship them on this day with tika and garlands. Brothers in turn give sisters gifts of presents and money.

This time, however, I won't be able to worship my brothers. The first time when there will be no one to eat my home-made delicacies (gravy chicken, aaloo ko achar, salad, selroti, chilleroti, mixed curries) with curd and sweets. I guess I won't be making any either.

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[Note: I wrote this article for college paper---to share how differently we celebrate Tihar in Nepal than in Chennai, India. 

It was very difficult to even think of celebrating cherished festival while being far away from my brothers.
A very lonely experience, indeed. I missed my brothers the most on bhaitika unlike any other years.
But, it was one of a kind experience.
Specially, trying to find the ingredients to perform bhaitika in their name. The funniest was to look for walnuts all around the city for hours without success. Then, as an represent, just got some another nuts...:D, there was no way of getting makhmali phul nor sayapatri so just bought with some yellow flower I found in flower market..:P
then, got all the fruits and sweets I like as at the end I was the one to eat anyway...hihi..]