It is Christmas in Kathmandu!
Ok well not quite, but it certainly felt that way this week. This week Nepal celebrated Tihar, the festival of lights. This is an important festival for Nepali people; it demonstrates the reverence for humans, gods, and animals, all of whom live in intense relationships within Hindu religion and Nepali culture. Hundreds of homes and buildings were decorated top to bottom with long strings of lights - they were draped across the streets, and decorated windows, doorways, and entrances. Candles were lit inside the homes, and on Wednesday, Nepalis spent the day decorating beautiful painted paths sprinkled with flowers and lined with candles. These paths led to the doorways of their homes, and are meant to lead Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity to their homes, where they will do "puja" (worship) and thank for her blessings from the past year. Small groups of girls also go around singing songs in exchange for sweets or money (somewhat like caroling!).
The next few days are specified for worshipping certain animals, such as the crow, and dog, and most importantly, the cow. Dogs and cows are decorated with garlands of marigolds, and receive the tikka (red mark) on their foreheads (I have not seen any crows decorated for Tihar - too hard to catch, I assume!). The final day of Tihar celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters: The sisters put the tikka on the foreheads of their brothers, ensuring long life and also thanking them for the protection they give. The brothers in turn bestow on their sisters small gifts or money.
It definitely has the feel of Christmas - family members come visit (my apartment building is FULL of Nepalis!), grandfathers, fathers and brothers stay home and fuss around the house, gardening, playing with their grandchildren, nieces/nephews, etc. The holiday spirit is contagious, I have found myself humming Christmas carols throughout the week! Yet despite the happiness of the holiday, I can't help but realize that the Tihar lights are out in hopes that Laxmi will find and bless their homes, whereas our lights symbolize that the Messiah has come to redeem mankind - and He most certainly does not need lights to find His people! But that is life here in Kathmandu - a constant, humming awareness that behind the lights and the colors and the smiles, there is deception and darkness. Although, I would argue that you can find this same paradox within the celebration of Christmas in our own culture. Well, more of that later...
In order to best see all the sights of Tihar, some friends and I headed out on our bikes after dark to see what kind of lights and ceremonies we could find...so for now, enjoy the pictures!
Ok well not quite, but it certainly felt that way this week. This week Nepal celebrated Tihar, the festival of lights. This is an important festival for Nepali people; it demonstrates the reverence for humans, gods, and animals, all of whom live in intense relationships within Hindu religion and Nepali culture. Hundreds of homes and buildings were decorated top to bottom with long strings of lights - they were draped across the streets, and decorated windows, doorways, and entrances. Candles were lit inside the homes, and on Wednesday, Nepalis spent the day decorating beautiful painted paths sprinkled with flowers and lined with candles. These paths led to the doorways of their homes, and are meant to lead Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity to their homes, where they will do "puja" (worship) and thank for her blessings from the past year. Small groups of girls also go around singing songs in exchange for sweets or money (somewhat like caroling!).
The next few days are specified for worshipping certain animals, such as the crow, and dog, and most importantly, the cow. Dogs and cows are decorated with garlands of marigolds, and receive the tikka (red mark) on their foreheads (I have not seen any crows decorated for Tihar - too hard to catch, I assume!). The final day of Tihar celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters: The sisters put the tikka on the foreheads of their brothers, ensuring long life and also thanking them for the protection they give. The brothers in turn bestow on their sisters small gifts or money.
It definitely has the feel of Christmas - family members come visit (my apartment building is FULL of Nepalis!), grandfathers, fathers and brothers stay home and fuss around the house, gardening, playing with their grandchildren, nieces/nephews, etc. The holiday spirit is contagious, I have found myself humming Christmas carols throughout the week! Yet despite the happiness of the holiday, I can't help but realize that the Tihar lights are out in hopes that Laxmi will find and bless their homes, whereas our lights symbolize that the Messiah has come to redeem mankind - and He most certainly does not need lights to find His people! But that is life here in Kathmandu - a constant, humming awareness that behind the lights and the colors and the smiles, there is deception and darkness. Although, I would argue that you can find this same paradox within the celebration of Christmas in our own culture. Well, more of that later...
In order to best see all the sights of Tihar, some friends and I headed out on our bikes after dark to see what kind of lights and ceremonies we could find...so for now, enjoy the pictures!
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| The star path outside my neighbor's door... |
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| The stairwell in my apartment building.... |
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