Yam Panchak begins, today is Kaag Tihar

The five-day Hindu festival of Tihar starts today in Nepal. The first day is known as Kaag Tihar.

Crows are seen as messengers of Yamaraj, the god of death. People offer sweet food to crows, hoping they bring only good news. This day also marks the belief that Yamaraj visits his sister Yamuna’s home, which is why the festival is called Yam Panchak. Today is also celebrated as the birthday of Dhanvantari, the father of Ayurvedic medicine.

Tradition and beliefs

Feeding crows today is considered auspicious and is believed to bring blessings from Goddess Lakshmi, filling homes with wealth and prosperity.

Upcoming days of Tihar

• Second day: Worship of dogs.
• Third day: Morning cow worship and evening Lakshmi Puja.
• Fourth day: Govardhan Puja in the morning, also called Hālo Tihar. The Newar community celebrates Mha Puja on this day.
• Fifth day: Bhai Tika, marking the festival’s final day.

Market outlook during Tihar

As Tihar begins, market activity in Nepal often slows down due to the festival holidays. Investors keep a close watch on NEPSE, anticipating how the festive mood might influence trading. Historically, periods around Tihar see cautious trading, with many shareholders planning their buy-sell decisions in advance. This year, traders are particularly attentive to companies expected to announce dividends or bonuses, as these announcements often sway short-term market movements.

If you want, I can now merge this with the original Crow Tihar article so it reads as a single, smooth news piece with the market angle included.