Cow Worship in Tihar: Honoring Prosperity, Gratitude, and the Harmony of Nature
22nd October 2025, Kathmandu
Tihar, the festival of lights and joy, is celebrated across Nepal with devotion, color, and cultural depth. Among its many rituals, the Cow and Ox Worship (Gai and Goru Puja) holds a special significance symbolizing prosperity, gratitude, and the sacred bond between humans, animals, and nature.
Cow Worship in Tihar
This ancient tradition reflects Nepal’s agrarian heritage and deep-rooted nature-worshiping beliefs, showing respect toward the animals that sustain human life and agricultural livelihood.
The Sacred Symbolism of the Cow (Gai Puja)
In Hindu culture, the cow is revered as Goddess Laxmi the symbol of wealth, nourishment, and purity. She is also considered a maternal figure who provides energy and sustenance to all living beings.
Cow’s milk, ghee, and dung are all regarded as sacred elements used in daily rituals and purification.
According to Hindu scriptures, the presence of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar, the divine trinity, is believed to reside within the cow. Hence, she is worshipped as Gau Mata (Holy Mother Cow), a living embodiment of compassion and prosperity.
Hindu traditions also describe that to cross the mythical river Vaitarani after death, one must hold onto the cow’s tail, symbolizing her role as a spiritual guide leading souls toward salvation.
Before beginning any auspicious ritual, people perform Gau Daan, the offering or symbolic donation of a cow. This ritual marks the beginning of good deeds, signifying purity and divine blessings.
When and How Gai Puja is Celebrated
While cows are worshipped daily in many Hindu households, Gai Puja holds special importance during Kartik Krishna Aunsi (the new moon day) or sometimes Kartik Shukla Pratipada, depending on the lunar calendar.
On this day, devotees clean and decorate their homes, prepare sacred offerings, and worship the cow with incense, lamps, flowers, turmeric paste, and vermilion (abir). Devotees bow before the cow, feed her sweets and grains, and light oil lamps (diyo) around her to invoke blessings of health, prosperity, and divine grace.
Laxmi Puja: The Day of Wealth and Prosperity
Gai Puja is celebrated on the same day as Laxmi Puja, when devotees honor Goddess Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity.
On this evening, homes and courtyards are illuminated with rows of oil lamps, creating a warm and welcoming path for the goddess. Families pray for happiness, prosperity, and success in the coming year.
According to the Puranas, on Dhantrayodashi, Goddess Laxmi’s blessings helped retrieve the lost treasures of Amaravati and Kubera from heaven. Since then, it has become a tradition to buy and worship gold, silver, and valuable metals on this day, believed to attract wealth and abundance.
Ox Worship (Goru Puja): Honoring the Provider of Food and Labor
The following day, Goru Puja, the worship of oxen, takes place. For a predominantly agriculture-based country like Nepal, the ox is more than just an animal; it is a provider of livelihood, helping farmers plow fields, transport goods, and sustain life.
On this day, oxen are treated with love and respect. Farmers wash and decorate them with colorful paints, apply turmeric and sesame paste, and put garlands (mala) around their necks.
Their horns are painted, their hooves are oiled, and they are given delicious food and grains as an offering of gratitude for their year-round hard work.
This ritual not only shows reverence for the ox but also symbolizes human appreciation for nature’s helpers.
Spiritual and Ecological Significance
The worship of cows and oxen during Tihar goes beyond religion; it reflects the philosophy of coexistence and environmental respect deeply ingrained in Nepali culture.
By honoring these animals, the tradition reminds society of their essential roles in agriculture, economy, and ecosystem balance. It teaches the values of gratitude, sustainability, and harmony with nature, principles that are increasingly relevant in the modern world.
The rituals of Gai Puja and Goru Puja thus serve as timeless reminders that prosperity comes not from exploitation, but from respecting and nurturing every living being that contributes to human life.
Conclusion
The celebration of Cow and Ox Worship in Tihar embodies Nepal’s unique blend of spirituality, ecology, and cultural wisdom.
From honoring Gau Mata’s divine nurturing to appreciating the ox’s hard work in agriculture, the festival promotes a message of gratitude, coexistence, and prosperity.
As diyas light up homes across Nepal, this festival encourages everyone to recognize the sacred bond between humans, animals, and the environment, a bond that sustains life and prosperity in its purest form.
For more: Cow Worship in Tihar
