The annual Tehar festivities have just ended, we are now on the road again for a 10 day eye camp with a team of dedicated Australians in the far west of Nepal. More about that later…
Tehar is a time of intense celebration here in Nepal, akin to Christmas at home. The festival runs for about a week, with each day having a different significance. We were lucky to be able to spend some of the festival out in Poolbari village with our friend's family. This was for the festival of light when the goddess Luxmi is welcomed into the home. She is the goddess of wealth, and her coming to the house will bring good fortune for the year ahead. A beautiful Mandela is drawn onto the ground with chalk dust outside of the house, which is first purified with cow dung and plastered with red soil. Candles are than placed within it and Christmas lights are lit up all over the outside of the house. All night long the villagers sung traditional folk songs and danced outside each home in the village. Absolutely knackered we went to bed around 1 am, and were woken periodically all night long with others coming to sing and dance outside the home.
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| Village girls singing traditional songs outside the home |
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| Mandela for Goddess Luxmi |
Other days during the Tehar are especially for honouring crows, dogs and cows. They are given food, mallas (garlands) and sometimes Tikka. Then there is a day to honour yourself; with a special ceremony where everyone receives a tikka (a special blessing for yourself). Everyone is given an egg, some fish and raksi (local moonshine) to give both strength and good health.
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| Cows with tikka |
Finally it all ends with a special day for celebrating brothers and sisters. Each sister will give a tikka to their brothers during a special ceremony, they pray for their brother's health and for them to have a good life. Again there are eggs, fish and rasksi. Whole plates of food are given to the brothers. At the end the brothers will give their sisters a tikka and a gift also. The family then enjoys a meal together.
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