KATHMANDU: Gai Puja (cow worship) has been observed ritually throughout the country today on the fourth day of the five-day long Tihar festival celebrated by the majority Hindus in the country.
In this revered tradition dating back to Vedic period, cows are worshipped as the symbol of Goddess Laxmi on the day of Kartik Krishna Aunshi (no moon day of Nepali month of Kartik as per the lunar calendar).
Cows are worshipped as Mata or Mother in Hindu faith.
The Gai Puja and Govardhan Puja rituals include making replicas of the Gai and Govardhan Mountain out of the cow dung. People prepare a mixture of the cow dung and ochre formed into a paste and apply on the courtyard of their houses and on the floors.
Furthermore, the cultural significance of cows is underscored by their status as the national animal, recognized not only for their highly nutritious milk but also for their important role in agriculture and the ecosystem.
Modern science also highlights the importance of local cow breeds as their milk is highly nutritious and is believed to enhance human vitality.
As a part of the Gai Puja rituals, cows are fed with sweets and delicacies on this day.
While cow worship is observed in some regions and communities on Kartik Shukla Aushi, there is a Vedic belief that the worship should be performed at the end of Aushi or the beginning of Pratipada (new moon day) as per the lunar calendar, said theological expert Prof Dr Ram Chandra Gautam.
While performing Gai Puja, there is the tradition of tying the sacred thread on the tail of the cow that which was tied around one's wrist on Janai Poornima festival
By doing so, it is believed, that the cow would help the person's soul cross the Baitarani River, a mythical river, to heaven, after the person's death.
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