Kathmandu, Nov, 7: Kag Tihar, the festival dedicated to crows, is being celebrated across Nepal today (Saturday), with people offering delicious food to crows, which are traditionally regarded as messengers of Yama, the god of death.
Kag Tihar falls on the 13th day of the waning moon in the month of Kartik. According to Dr. Purushottam Bhattarai, chairperson of the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Bikas Samiti, the festival is being observed today in accordance with religious scriptures, as the Trayodashi lunar phase coincides with sunrise.
According to Hindu religious beliefs, Yama receives information about the world through crows, which are therefore considered his messengers. People worship crows and offer them various delicacies, hoping they will carry good news to Yama.
There is also a popular belief that hearing a crow caw near one’s home signals an incoming message. People traditionally respond by saying, “Speak good words, speak good words.”
Special worship ceremonies are being held at the Kageshwari Mahadev Temple in Kageshwari Manohara Municipality-1, as well as at the Kageshwari Temple in Hanumandhoka, Kathmandu.
The Tihar festival is also associated with the belief that Yama punishes those who commit wrongdoings and protects those who follow the path of righteousness.
The ritual of lighting Yama lamps (Yam Deepdan) in the names of family members began on Friday evening. According to Vedic traditions, the lamps should be placed facing south. It is believed that performing this ritual helps people attain freedom from the suffering associated with Yama.
Due to variations in lunar dates this year, the five-day Yama Panchak festival began on Friday evening, when the Trayodashi lunar phase coincided with sunset.
Meanwhile, Dhanteras, the festival associated with wealth and prosperity, was also observed on Friday. People purchased gold, silver, jewellery and copper utensils, believing that such purchases would bring Goddess Lakshmi into their homes and ensure lasting prosperity.
