KATHMANDU: The third day of the Tihar festival was celebrated today with the worship of dogs and the offering of delicacies to these beloved animals.
According to tradition, honoring dogs on Kartik Krishna Chaturdashi (the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the lunar month) is believed to help souls pass through Yamalok (the nether world) after death, by two dogs named Shyam and Sabal, who serve as the guards of Yamraj (the God of Death), according to religious expert Professor Dr. Ramchandra Gautam.
Modern science suggests that keeping dogs can help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. As said by Professor Shree Krishna Adhikari, Chair of the Nepal Calendar Fixation Committee, Laxmi puja, the worship of the goddess Laxmi, will also take place this evening due to some changes in the tithi or the time period of the day as per lunar calendar.
Preparations continue for Deepawali, the festival of lights, and Laxmi puja, the celebration of wealth and prosperity, in the evening.
This year's Tihar festivities began on Tuesday with Dhanteras, during which people brought home precious metals and utensils made of bronze and brass. The fifth day of the festival will honor cows, while the worship of the ox, known as Govardhan Puja, will also occur on the same date.
Tika will be observed on Sunday, the sixth day of the festival (however the fifth day by the Vedic calendar). The auspicious hour for Tihar Tika has been fixed at 11:37 am on November 3.
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