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Holiday Focus: Tihar (Nepal)
The Hindu festival of Tihar falls in November, rather than October, this year. Tihar marks the
Hindu new year. During the festival, various animals are honored, including dogs (who take the
souls of the deceased across the river of the dead), cows, and oxen.
The most important day
features celebrations of the Goddess of Wealth. Rows of lights are displayed on every building
so that the goddess, Lakshmi, will visit. This gives the holiday its nickname "the festival of
lights." Tihar provides married women a time to go home to their parents, receive special
treatment, ritually purify themselves, and pray for sons.
Sons are special because they stay
near the mother (even after marriage) and care for her in her old age. People often feast on
traditional meals with their families during this time. During the final day, siblings place
tikas, or red dots made from sandalwood paste, on each other's foreheads to bring good luck.
World Holidays Featured This Month
Belize - Garifuna Settlement Day - November 19
Marks the arrival of the Garifuna to Belize, after having originally come from Saint Vincent
and settled in Honduras before migrating.
Mexico - Dia de los Murtos (Day of the Dead) - November 1-2
Families gather to celebrate life while they honor the dead.
Estonia - Mardi Day - November 10
Children paint their faces, dress up in old clothes, and go to their neighbors' houses, where
they are given candy and fruit in exchange for singing a song or dancing.
Tunisia - Second Revolution - November 7
The day that Ben Ali assumed power from Habib Bourguiba, "president for life."
Haiti - Fet Gede - November 2
Honors the dead, who are highly venerated in the Haitian culture.
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