Gai Puja Being Observed as Part of Tihar Festival Today

Gai Puja, or the worshipping of cow, is being observed across the country today (October 21) as part of the Tihar festival celebrated by Hindus. The ritual holds deep significance in the Hindu tradition, where the cow is revered as a symbol of motherly love and nourishment.

Devotees garland cows and offer them various delicacies during the ceremony, expressing gratitude for their contribution to human life. The practice, rooted in ancient Vedic times, regards cows as sacred and often refers to them as “cow mothers” for the nutritious milk they provide, likened to a mother’s care.

According to the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee, while some regions traditionally worship cows on Kartik Krishna Aunsi (New Moon Day), classical belief holds that the worship should be performed at the end of Aunsi and the beginning of Pratipada (the first day of the bright half of lunar fortnight).

Religious belief also suggests that tying a Rakshabandhan (protective thread) from people’s hand to the cow’s tail during the ritual helps the soul cross the river Vaitarani and reach heaven after death.

The observance of Gai Puja thus reflects the deep cultural and spiritual importance attributed to cows in the Hindu tradition during the Tihar festival. -- RSS