|
Tihar (festival)
Tihar (also known as Yamapanchak Deepawali) is a five-day spiritual and cultural Hindu festival of lights celebrated by Nepalese as well as by the Indian Gorkhas inhabiting Sikkim state and Territories (particularly the towns of Darjeeling and Kalimpong). Tihar is analogous to the Indian festival of Diwali, the festival of lights, but both are different Festival. Tihar is referred to as Yamapanchak Tihar in Kathmandu Valley by Newari Nepalis and Dipawali Tihar in Madhesh Province by Madhesi Nepalis. In the rest of Nepal and the Indian states of Sikkim and Gorkhaland, both Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas refer to Diwali as the Tihar Parwa. Like Diwali, it is marked by lighting '' diyo'' inside and outside the home, but unlike Diwali in other parts of India, the five days of Tihar include celebration and worship of the four creatures associated with the God of death Yama, with the final day reserved for people themselves. According to the Vikram Samvat calendar, the festiv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhailo
''Bhailo'' and ''Deusi'', collectively known as Deusi/Bhailo, are Nepalese traditional folk songs sung during the Tihar (festival), Tihar festival in Nepal as well as in Darjeeling hills, Sikkim, Assam, and some other parts of India among the Gorkhali diaspora. Children as well as adults perform Deusi/Bhailo by singing songs and dancing as they go to various homes in their community, collecting money, sweets and food and giving blessings for prosperity. ''Bhailo'' is generally performed by girls and women on the night of Lakshmi Puja whereas ''Deusi'' is performed by boys and men on the following night. Although in recent years, mixed groups perform it collectively on either of the two nights or both. The girls performing ''Bhailo'' are called ''Bhailini'' and the boys performing ''Deusi'' are called ''Deuse''. At the end of these songs, the house owner serves food and gives money to the Deusi/Bhailo singers and dancers. In return, the Deusi/Bhailo team gives blessings of goo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Newar People
Newar (; , endonym: Newa; , Pracalit script: ), or Nepami, are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and its surrounding areas, and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. Page 15. Newars are a distinct linguistic and cultural group, primarily Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryan and Tibeto-Burman migration to Indian subcontinent, Tibeto-Burman ethnicities, who share a common language, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa, and predominantly practice Newar Hinduism and Newar Buddhism. Newars have developed a division of labour and a sophisticated urban civilisation not seen elsewhere in the Himalayas, Himalayan foothills. Newars have continued their age-old traditions and practices and pride themselves as the true custodians of the religion, culture and civilisation of Nepal. Newars are known for their contributions to culture, Newa art, art and Newari literature, literature, Lhasa Newar, trade, Agriculture in Nepal, agriculture and Newa cuisine, cuisine. Today, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flour
Flour is a powder made by Mill (grinding), grinding raw grains, List of root vegetables, roots, beans, Nut (fruit), nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures. Maize flour, Corn flour has been important in Mesoamerican cuisine since ancient times and remains a staple in the Americas. Rye flour is a constituent of bread in both Central Europe and Northern Europe. Cereal flour consists either of the endosperm, cereal germ, germ, and bran together (whole-grain flour) or of the endosperm alone (refined flour). ''Meal'' is either differentiable from flour as having slightly coarser particle size (degree of comminution) or is synonymous with flour; the word is used both ways. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC has cautioned not to eat raw flour doughs or batters. Raw flour can contain harmful bacteria such as ''E. coli'' and needs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rice
Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much less commonly, ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). Asian rice was domesticated in China some 13,500 to 8,200 years ago; African rice was domesticated in Africa about 3,000 years ago. Rice has become commonplace in many cultures worldwide; in 2023, 800 million tons were produced, placing it third after sugarcane and maize. Only some 8% of rice is traded internationally. China, India, and Indonesia are the largest consumers of rice. A substantial amount of the rice produced in developing nations is lost after harvest through factors such as poor transport and storage. Rice yields can be reduced by pests including insects, rodents, and birds, as well as by weeds, and by List of rice diseases, diseases such as rice blast. Traditional rice polyc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gregorian Calendar
The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years slightly differently to make the average calendar year 365.2425 days long rather than the Julian calendar's 365.25 days, thus more closely approximating the 365.2422-day tropical year, "tropical" or "solar" year that is determined by the Earth's revolution around the Sun. The rule for leap years is that every year divisible by four is a leap year, except for years that are divisible by 100, except in turn for years also divisible by 400. For example 1800 and 1900 were not leap years, but 2000 was. There were two reasons to establish the Gregorian calendar. First, the Julian calendar was based on the estimate that the average solar year is exactly 365.25 days long, an overestimate of a li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dwitiya
Dvitiya () also referred to as Beej () and Dooj () is the Sanskrit word for "second", and is the second day of the lunar fortnight (''Paksha'') of the Hindu calendar. Each Hindu month has two dvitiya days, being the second day of the "bright" (''Shukla'') and of the "dark" (''Krishna'') fortnights respectively. Dvitiya occurs on the second and the seventeenth day of each month. Occasions * Bhratri Dvitiya (Bhai Dooj/Bhau Beej), the last day of the Deepavali festival, occurs on the dvitiya of the month of Kartika. * ''Phulerā Dooj/Dvitiya'': It is celebrated on Shukla Paksha Dvitiya of Phalgun month and is quite popular in Braj region. This festival falls between two Hindu festivals commemorating spring season i.e. Vasanta Panchami and Holi. On this day holi is played using flowers. The Murtis of Hindu Devi-Devatas are decorated with flowers and flower canopy known as ''Phulera''. As per Narada Purana, Lord Shiva is worshipped on this day with white colored fragrant flowers ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhai Tika
Bhai Dooj, Bhai Tika, Bhaubeej, Bhai Beej, Bhai Phonta or Bhratri Dwitiya is a festival celebrated by Hindus on the second lunar day of the Shukla Paksha (bright fortnight) of Kartika, the eighth month of the Vikram Samvat Hindu calendar or the Shalivahana Shaka calendar. It is celebrated during the Diwali or Tihar festival and Holi festival. The celebrations of this day are similar to the festival of Raksha Bandhan. In the southern part of India, the day is celebrated as Yama Dwitiya. In the Kayastha community, two Bhai Doojs are celebrated. The more famous one comes on the second day after Diwali. But the lesser-known one is celebrated a day or two after Diwali. In Haryana and Uttar Pradesh a ritual is also followed, a dry coconut (named gola in regional language) with tied along its width for worshipping is also used at the time of doing ''aarti'' of a brother. In Bengal the day is celebrated as Bhai Phota, which comes one day after Kali Puja. Regional Variations The fest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kārtika (month)
Kārtika (,) is the eighth month of the Hindu calendar, which falls in October and November of the Gregorian calendar. In India's national civil calendar. In most Hindu calendars, Kartika begins with the transit of the Sun into Libra, beginning on 18 October and lasting until 15 November. In the Nepali calendar, which is also the country's official calendar, Kartika is the seventh month of the year, similar to the Maithili and Bengali calendars. In Bengal, Kartika marks the start of the dry season ( ''Hemôntô''). In the solar Tamil calendar, ''Kārttikai'' (கார்த்திகை, ) is the seventh month, corresponding to November/December in the Gregorian calendar. It begins when the sun enters the sign of Scorpio. Many festivals, such as Karthikai Deepam, are celebrated in this month. Etymology The name of the month is derived from the name of a star, Krittika (, ) nakshatra. Festivals Several major religious holidays take place in Kartika. These are as fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vikram Samvat
Vikram Samvat (ISO: ''Vikrama Saṁvata''; abbreviated VS), also known as the Vikrami calendar is a Hindu calendar historically used in the Indian subcontinent and still also used in several Indian states and Nepal. It is a lunisolar calendar, using twelve to thirteen lunar months each solar sidereal years. The year count of the Vikram Samvat calendar is usually 57 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar, except during January to April, when it is ahead by 56 years. Vikram Samvat is an official calendar of Nepal. And unlike India where it is used only for religious dates, the solar version of Vikram Samvat is an official calendar used for everything from school sessions to legal contracts to any official functions. History A number of ancient and medieval inscriptions used the Vikram Samvat. Although it was reportedly named after the legendary king Vikramaditya, the term "Vikrama Samvat" does not appear in the historical record before the 9th century; the same calendar sy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yama
Yama (), also known as Kāla and Dharmarāja, is the Hindu god of death and justice, responsible for the dispensation of law and punishment of sinners in his abode, Naraka. He is often identified with Dharmadeva, the personification of ''Dharma'', though the two deities have different origins and myths. In Vedic tradition, Yama was considered the first mortal who died and espied the way to the celestial abodes; as a result, he became the ruler of the departed. His role, characteristics, and abode have been expounded in texts such as the ''Upanishads'', the ''Ramayana'', the ''Mahabharata'', and the ''Puranas''. Yama is described as the twin of the goddess Yami, and the son of the god Surya (sun) (in earlier traditions Vivasvat) and Sanjna. He judges the souls of the dead and, depending on their deeds, assigns them to the realm of the Pitris (forefathers), Naraka (hell), or to be reborn on the earth. Yama is one of the Lokapalas (guardians of the realms), appointed as the pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diya (light)
A diya, diyo, deya, deeya, dia, divaa, deepa, deepam, deep, deepak or saaki () is an oil lamp made from clay or mud with a cotton wick dipped in oil or ghee. These lamps are commonly used in the Indian subcontinent and they hold sacred prominence in Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain prayers as well as religious rituals, ceremonies and festivals including Diwali. Traditional use Diyas are symbolically lit during prayers, rituals, and ceremonies; they are permanent fixtures in homes and temples. The warm, bright glow emitted from a diya is considered auspicious, regarded to represent enlightenment, prosperity, knowledge and wisdom. Diyas represent the triumph of light over dark, good over evil with the most notable example of this being on the day of Diwali. Diwali is celebrated every year to celebrate the triumph of good over evil as told in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. Diwali marks the day Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana returned home to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile, after the def ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nepalis
Nepali or Nepalese () are the permanent citizens of Nepal under Nepali nationality law. The term ''Nepali'' strictly refers to ''nationality'', meaning people holding citizenship of Nepal. Conversely, people without Nepalese citizenship but with roots in Nepal (such as Nepalese Australians), who speak Nepali or any of the other 128 Nepali languages but hold foreign citizenship, are referred to as ''Nepali-language Speaking Foreigners'' (). The term ''Nepali'' is also not generally used to refer to non-citizen residents, dual citizens, or expatriates. Nepal is a multicultural and multi-ethnic country. Bagmati Province is the most densely populated province, holding approximately 20.97 percent of Nepal's population. Nepalese diaspora The Nepali diaspora, or non-resident Nepalese, are Nepali people living overseas. The ''Non-resident Nepali Act, 2064'' of Nepal defines a non-resident Nepalese as someone who is a foreign citizen of Nepali origin including a Nepali citizen res ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
