Tihar Celebrations

Tihar is the second biggest festival in Nepal - and definitely the prettiest since we have been here. Beautiful pictures are made at the entrances to homes and shops with salt and tikka powder, marigold garlands are hung around doors and windows, and flags, strings of lights and garlands are liberally strewn.
There is an intricate system of puja (worship) over several days, including the goddess Laxmi, cows, crows, and - my personal favourite because it's quite aesthetically weird - dogs. All the street dogs were dressed in garlands, given tikkas and something nice to eat. I took a photo of one just chillin at lunch time.
Cosilla decorated the house and porch for us and we lit the candles at six o' clock on Friday. I would love to report that the beautiful flower picture lasted until the end of Tihar at dawn on Monday, but, um, Thom got involved...what 20 month old rascal wouldn't, eh......