- Nepal celebrated Lakshmi Puja and Kukur Tihar, honoring the goddess of wealth and dogs with vibrant lights, oil lamps, and traditional rangolis.
- Families and merchants cleaned properties and lit diyo lamps to invite prosperity, signaling the spiritual triumph of light over darkness.
- Business owners opened new account books for the year while traditional Deusi-Bhailo carolers filled the streets with festive songs and goodwill.
- Major landmarks in the Kathmandu Valley glowed with spectacular displays, blending sacred devotion with community spirit across the nation.
Kathmandu, Nepal: A radiant blanket of glowing oil lamps, vibrant rangolis, and festive lights swept across Nepal on Sunday as the nation celebrated Lakshmi Puja, honoring Mahalakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity.
This year’s observance coincided with Kukur Tihar—the second day of the five-day Tihar festival dedicated to honoring dogs for their loyalty—filling streets and households with an extra layer of warmth and reverence.
The spirit of celebration began long before dusk. From early morning, families and business owners swept away the old, thoroughly cleaning homes, offices, and storefronts. As night fell, courtyards and doorways were transformed into colorful canvases of flower garlands and hand-drawn rangoli patterns. Entrances were left wide open and illuminated by traditional diyo lamps, candles, and string lights—a symbolic gesture to guide the goddess of prosperity across every threshold.
For devotees, the rituals carry deep spiritual resonance. Beyond the prayers for financial well-being, Lakshmi Puja marks a season of inner renewal: the lighting of lamps signifies the triumph of light over darkness, positivity over negativity, and hope over uncertainty.
The festival’s vitality was equally visible across Nepal's commercial heartbeat. Business owners and industrialists marked the occasion by performing special prayers in their shops and factories to seek blessings for the coming year. Following long-standing tradition, many merchants closed out their old ledgers to open fresh account books, signaling new financial beginnings.
Yet, at its core, the evening remained a deeply intimate, human affair. Families gathered around sacred altars to perform rituals together, share homemade sweets, and exchange blessings with neighbors. As the night progressed, the air filled with the rhythmic tunes of traditional Deusi-Bhailo carolers moving from house to house, singing prayers of goodwill and brightening the cultural atmosphere.
The Kathmandu Valley, in particular, was transformed into a breathtaking spectacle of light. Landmark sites—including Dharahara, Swayambhunath, New Road, Mahaboudha, New Baneshwor, and Koteshwor—shimmered against the night sky. From high-rise commercial hubs to quiet residential alleys, rooftops and balconies hummed with festive energy, blending sacred devotion, community spirit, and shared hope into a unified nationwide celebration.
