KATHMANDU: Gai or Cow Puja, is being observed throughout the country today on the third day of the five-day-long Tihar festival celebrated by the Hindus in the country.
The cow is worshiped as per the religious belief that we get love from her like a mother. The cow milk, urine and dung are all sacred, hence the cow is worshiped.
The day today is also locally called Gai Tihar. The cow is garlanded and fed various delicacies.
Likewise, the Govardhan Puja rituals will be observed tomorrow with replicas of the Govardhan Mountain made out of cow dung.
People prepare a mixture of cow dung and ochre formed into a paste and apply in the courtyard of their homes and on the floors today.
The rituals are linked to the Hindu God Sri Krishna who, according to the legend, lifted the Govardhan Mountain by his hand and protected the people of a place called Gokul from torrential rains caused by Indra, the God of rain.
It is believed that the rain God was angered and thereby caused the heavy downpour.
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