Tihar Holiday

दीपज्योतिः परंब्रह्म दीपज्योतिर्जनार्दनः।

दीपो हरतु मे पापं दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तुते॥

Transliteration: Deepa Jyotih Parambrahma, Deepa Jyotir Janardhanah,

Deepo Haratu Me Paapam, Deepa Jyotir Namostute.

The light of the lamp is the Supreme Brahman,the light of the lamp represents Lord Vishnu. May this light remove my sins; salutations to the divine light.

This year, let every lamp lit on Tihar awaken mercy, protect, and spread love. Welcome to the days after the festivities.

Gai Puja

Today cows, oxen, traditional wooden plows (Hali or halo), and other agricultural implements are worshiped. With the onset of winter in the agricultural doors of Nepal, it is customary to take out the tools such as plows, and spades that have been kept after the rainy season for worship. Hali means plow, so this Tihar is called Hali Tihar, we worship agricultural tools on this day.Another big highlight of the day is Deusi. Yesterday's Bhaile's Vaka and today Deunse's Vaka.

Deunse

Deunse is a prehistoric storytelling and singing tradition, where a group of people visits a neighbor's doorstep, courtyard, and organizes a musical and lyrical event for a short time. This is a traditional way of storytelling, those Deunse narrates several stories of ancient King Bali and other ancient pauranik characters. Later Deunse receives foods, grains, money, and thanks from the house owner, the ceremony ends with the flow of best wishes and blessings to the house owner, family, and society.

World Freedom Day

Background

World Freedom Day is observed every year on November 9 in the United States. Former U.S. President George W. Bush declared November 9 as World Freedom Day in 2001 to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall, which had divided East and West Berlin, and the formal end of communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe.

While declaring World Freedom Day in 2001, President Bush stated:

“The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, was a decisive turning point in the Cold War and an important milestone in the triumph of freedom over tyranny. The wall was a stark symbol of the division between free people and those living under authoritarian rule. We honor the spirit and determination of those who struggled for freedom in East Germany and other repressive regimes. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, many countries have achieved freedom through political pressure generated by their citizens through electoral processes or through the resolution of internal and regional conflicts.”

The End of the Cold War

Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, who played a significant role in bringing the Cold War to an end and contributing to the collapse of the Soviet Union, is also remembered in the United States on this day.

Although Americans place special emphasis on celebrating November 9 as World Freedom Day, other countries around the world, particularly European nations, appear less inclined to observe it as such. Since the Cold War era, ideological, operational, and systemic disagreements have persisted among capitalist, communist, and some socialist countries around the world.

According to the ideas of new globalization and new nationalism, people across the world are increasingly viewed within a broader framework of shared identity and global brotherhood.

Whether we follow communist, capitalist, or any other ideology, the assurance of freedom and the ability to live freely are extremely important to human society.

Freedom in Nepal

In Nepal, new dimensions of freedom have gradually emerged through various political changes, including the movements of 1951, 1990, and 2006 (B.S. 2007, 2046, and 2063, respectively).

The right to live a comfortable and dignified life also falls within the scope of freedom. Excessive traffic congestion, long queues for cooking gas and fuel, rising prices, corruption, and the lack of effective rule of law are among the challenges related to freedom in Nepali society. We experience these problems in one form or another every day.

It is hoped that the definition of freedom in Nepal will soon also encompass a comfortable, transparent, and hassle-free life for all Nepalis.

Best wishes on World Freedom Day!

(Information about World Freedom Day has been prepared based on materials published on the website of the George W. Bush Presidential Center: www.bushcenter.org.)