"Bhailini Aain Aangana Guniyo Cholo Mangana
Hey Aunshi Ko Dina Ho Gai Tihar Bhailo"During
this festival every one cleans their house and decorates with lights.
The city areas as well as the villages are seen full of lights. In this
festival, people worship Goddess Laxmi (the goddess of wealth). People
light oil lamps in each and every corner of their house and decorate
their house so that, goddess Laxmi would bless them with wealth. It is
celebrated for five days which includes puja of Crow, Dog, Cow, Laxmi
Puja and lastly Bhai Tika.
This festival is celebrated after
Dashain. In this festival, people have lots of fun like playing cards,
burning fire crackers (We don’t encourage to do so though), having
delicious meal and playing Bhailo. Bhailo is one of the famous events
which are played from little children to adults. They go from house to
house singing bhailo, dancing to the tunes which are well rehearsed and
collect money and food items. The atmosphere out is very pleasant with
the lights of fire crackers and Bhailos. Here is list how this festival
is celebrated:
First day Kaag (Crow) Puja: In
this day, the crow are worshipped early in the morning and given good
meal as they are regarded as the messenger of death. People in the
villages believe that crows help for proper maintenance of the crops by
eating the insects which destroy the crops in the field for which they
are worshiped.
Second day Kukkur (Dog) Puja:
In this day, the dogs are worshipped by applying tika, garland (maala)
round their neck, and given good food as they guard our house. It is
also believed that there is a dog at the yama's gate guarding the gate
to the underworld. Dogs are also taken as Fearful Bhairab (God of
Destruction).
Third day Gai (Cow) Puja and Laxmi Puja:
In this day, people wake up early in the morning and clean their house.
In the village areas, people clean their houses and wipe their house
with Red Mud (Rato Mato) making a small circle with a Diyo at the
entrance door to please Goddess Laxmi. The Cow is regarded as the holy
animal as she provides her milk to everyone and helps a lot on fields,
she is worshipped by applying her tika , garland (maala) round their
neck and giving delicious food to eat. And later at night, people light
many oil lamps and worship Goddess Laxmi and pray to keep her hands on
them so that she would bless them with wealth.
Forth day Gobhardan (cow dung) Puja and Mha (self) Puja: In this day,
People who follow Krishna perform Gobardhan Puja, which is worship
towards Cowdung. These people build a small hill made out of cowdung and
put some grass on it then do puja on it. This puja symbolizes the act
of lord Krishna when he lifted the Gobhardan hill and saved millions of
people and cows from floodwater. On the other hand, this day is also
known as Goru (Ox) puja where an ox is worshipped and given good food to
eat.
If you belong to the Newar community, you perform 'Mha puja'
which literally means worshipping oneself. On this day the newar, New
Year also starts.
Fifth Day Bhai Tika: In this day, the sister put tika on the forehead
of their brothers to ensure long life and prosperity. She applies tika
with seven colors and a garland made out of flower called "Makhmali".
There is a story based on Bhai tika, it was in the Satya Yug, where a
devoted sister saved the life of her brother when he was in his death
bed. She fought with the Yamraj and compelled him to take his brothers'
life only after the Flower named "Makhmali" dries and the chestnut gets
rotten. Seeing the love towards her brother, the yama elongated her
brothers' life and from that day Bhai Tika is celebrated.
The festival comes to an end after celebrating the five days of worship to Goddess Laxmi and the Underworld God.
