Jillimilli batti at Tihir

Namaaste!

In Nepal the Hindu festival of Tihir takes place around the start of November. Tihir is the Nepali version of Divali, the festival of lights, and is a celebration dedicated to the Goddess Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth and Yamraj, God of death. Although the festival is longer, there are three days of public holiday and most Hindu families celebrate. I went with some colleagues to the ancient city of Bhaktapur (see last blog page) to watch the festivities.

Different animals are honoured on different days of the festival, starting with crows (thought to be messengers of Yamraj) on the first day, who are fed rice and pieces of meat from special plates made from leaves. Dogs are honoured on the second day and I saw several dogs walking around with red tikkas smeared on their heads and noses and garlands of marigolds around their necks. Dogs are honoured as they are believed to help conduct the soul from death.

Cows, which are sacred in the Hindu religion, get a similar treatment on the third day, with tikkas and garlands, and the ones I saw had been given large quantities of green vegetables to eat too. Small oil lamps had been placed near where the cattle were tied, outside a Hindu temple, along with rice and petals as offerings. Many people visit to bring offerings, or just to touch the cattle for good luck.

By 7am on the morning of the third day the market square, with many stalls selling garlands and offerings alongside the usual vegetables and fruit, was buzzing, packed with excited people. The atmosphere was similar to city centres in the UK on Christmas Eve; purposeful, bustling and happy.

This early morning stall has marigold garlands, and in the forefront you can see a woman selling coloured powders for the pavement decorations.

Special sweet treats being prepared and sold.

During this third day families decorate their house or shop fronts with strings of golden marigolds, tiny clay oil lamps and coloured twinkling lights, which in Nepali are called ‘jillimilli batti’.

The lights and lamps are lit as dark descends, and the tiny pin-points of colour transform everything, making the streets and temples look magical.

                                                    

The lights are to guide and encourage the Goddess Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth, to visit the establishment. 

Intricate Hindu signs and patterns are also laid out on the pavement in front of houses, using many brightly coloured powders, flower petals and rice flour. Small lamps and floral offerings may be added to the patterns. A trail is laid from this decoration into the house for the Goddess to follow, when on entering she blesses the household and hopefully bestows wealth on its members.

In the evening small groups of young girls dressed up in their best clothes, go from door to door carrying large flat round baskets filled with pieces of fruit, rice and flower petals. Rather like carol singers, the girls sing and may dance in order to earn small change, sweets or fruit as a treat.

We did see groups of boys too, but they were disappointing in that they hadn’t bothered to dress up and expected treats for very little.

The following morning, the start of the Newari New Year, we watched from a rooftop café as a long procession of bands wound it’s way through the square below. Many players were in traditional clothes and their instruments were mostly drums and Nepali flutes, with occasional tambourine or Indian bells.

I was excited to see amongst the bands, a group of boys with bells strapped to their legs, who were clashing sticks as they danced. Newari Morris dancers maybe!

The lamps and lights continue to be lit each evening at almost every house during this festival. On the fifth day of the festival sisters give their brothers seven-coloured tikkas and garlands of purple everlasting flowers, to signify their love for them. The brothers, in return, give their sisters tikkas and also presents.

It has been such a great experience to see this special celebration of the Nepali people, memories which will remain with me for a long time.