Tika Galore

This is a brief interlude from my fathers blogs.

Right after my dad left, Nepal got ready to celebrate Tihar. This is the festival that everyone describes as "my favorite festival." Now I understand why: there are pretty lights everywhere. It's basically a combination of Christmas and Fourth of July.

Anyhow, Tihar is five days long and the following things are worshiped on each succeeding day:

1. Crows
2. Dogs
3. Laxmi the Goddess of Wealth
4. Oxes
5. Brothers

I had question about the crows: Don't crows eat crops, and since I know that's true, why would you spend a day worshiping them? I got a good answer, but still I feel this is a valid question that shouldn't go unasked.

The best part was day two when every mangy dog in Kathmandu had a tika on their forehead and a garland of marigolds around their neck. Like this pretty pup:



Even Changba, the horrendous dog at my apartment, had one. Which was awesome because his attempt to be fearsome was thwarted by the ridiculousness of the red mark on his forehead and the flowers around his neck.

On the Laxmi day, Nepalis took really pretty vermilion colors and made pathways to lead the goddess of wealth to their abodes. Here's Prajjwel, our landlords son doing just that:



At night on Laxmi day everyone lights candles to brighten their vermilion pathways and sets of fireworks because they're fun. Groups of singers and dancers go around to houses to perform for rupees. Everything is lit, everyone is awake until late.

On brothers day (which is really brothers AND sisters day but only called brothers day - yes this is indicative of Nepali culture) siblings give each other the most extensive tika in life. Seven colors of vermilion are applied to each others foreheads and garlands of flowers placed around their necks. They also exchange money, clothes, and other presents. Below is Prajjwel and his nephew who have both been adorned with their tikas by their respective sisters:



I'm jealous there's no U.S. holiday to celebrate the bond between sibling. Right??