Dipawali is the major Hinduism festival. It is commonly known
as Yamapanchak or Tihar. This festival has great role of celebration in Hinduisms’
country and taken as second big festival after Dashain, once a year. This is
due to worship of god and maintaining relation among people as well as
enjoyment by performing various joyful activities.
People pray goddess Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, in this
festival. Celebration takes place in five days in the month of October or early
November. The series of worship initiates from crow and dog in two days while
in third day the cow is worshipped in morning and goddess Laxmi is worshipped
in the evening. Women keep fast in this day with a belief that goddess Laxmi
would fortune to them and their family. Thus the admiration to god for the
wealth and health of family in this festive is majorly favored.
The closeness of a family - especially between brother and
sister in “Bhai Tika”, which is the last day of Tihar - sisters pray for the
long and prosperous life of their brothers. It is believed that a girl called Yamuna
whose brother was ill prayed for his long and healthy life. When Yama, the god
of death came to take her brother with him, she pleaded for some time to worship
her brother. Yama granted this wish to her. And a long ceremony was performed
for her brother and Yama that, in turn, pleased her and promised her not to
take her brother until the offering of turf grass and flower remained fresh and
un-withered. Hence the grass and flower remained as usual fresh to next year of
Bhai Tika. From then on the sister began to worship their brother for long and
healthy life.
People in the celebration of festive holiday enjoy with various
different ways. The boundary of joyfulness has not any historical significance
or even ritual limitations - illumination of butter lamps everywhere in the
house (Jhilimili), children and elders enjoy fire crackers go to door-to-door,
singing deusi and bhailo (i.e. traditional tihar song and dance). They take
traditional cuisine viz. selroti, Fini, Arsha, Anrasha, Sweets, and other
delicious items.
It has been found that around 15% of the world population
follows Hindu religion and the festival of lights has been celebrated by all
Hindu’s from the very beginning of human civilization. The historical
importance of celebrating this festival continued owing to the fact that the Hinduisms
believe goddess Laxmi to have been existed and enjoyment through building and
maintaining relationship between family members and relatives.