DEEPAWALI

See Tihar. An enjoyable festivals following Dasain. Deepavali, literally means the festival of lights, also known as Tihar, is celebrated every year throughout Nepal with pomp and grandeur. The celebration of this festival generally begins on the 13th day of the dark fortnight of Kartik around October and goes on until the second day of the following bright fortnight. This festival is celebrated continuously for five days. Because of this unbroken chain of celebration, it is known by the name of Panchak which denotes five days long. We may also call it the festival of nights. Because the first thing that comes to sight on thinking of Deepavali is the beginning of the night time. In other words, to derive any delight from the lights alone, one must await the arrival of night. 

Though this festival has many fascinating features, the most magnificent one amongst them is the decoration of the door-ways and windows with majestic marigolds and oil lamps every evening during the entire period of celebration. 

The making of the lamps in the very beginning of the festive evening has a spiritual significance. It represents the aspiration for enlightenment or knowledge whereas darkness stands for ignorance. The entire illumination work is indicative of intention to conquer Avidya or darkness by means of Vidya or light. In other words, this symbolizes liberation from ignorance for self-realization. In order to make it further clear, story from Hindu mythology may be referred to.  

Once there broke out a war between demons and deities. Narkasura, the head of the demons, fought furiously for his fame until he won the war. Puffed up with victory, the head demon designed himself as the overlord of the worlds. Cruel and corrupted as he was, he also started insulting the innocent wives of defeated Gods. This was a big shock to their helpless husbands. It was his command and wish that anything considered excellent taking from the materials down to any means of sensual pleasures be immediately offered to him or be made available for him. It is said that the slaves under his command were able to bring altogether 16000 princesses with blooming beauty and flaming youth for his fun. They were all kept under his cruel control. 

It is, however interesting to note that the four giant sentinels with five heads stationed by him in four cardinal directions to safeguard his frontiers had all been killed by Lord Krishna. They were Mura, Hayagriva, Nishumbha and Panchajanya.  

Narkasura was none other than a frightening figure of tyranny. It is said that a mention of his name alone was enough to scare the innocent people to death. People were so afraid of him that they didn’t even dare light up their houses in the evenings. According to this Puranic story, the celebration of this festival came into practice from the very day when Lord Krishna killed Narkasura.