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The most important day of Tihar, the five-day festival of lights, is being observed today. Sisters throughout the country offer tika to their brothers wishing them happiness, long life and prosperity on the occasion of Bhai Tika.

The auspicious hour for offering the tika is 11:37 am for this year's Bhai Tika. However, it can take place until sunset, says Chairperson of National Calendar Determination Committee, Prof Shree Krishna Adhikari.

On this day, brothers are seated at a specially anointed place around which a trail of mustard oil is drawn. The sisters then offer the brothers tika and garlands of 'dubo' and 'makhamali'.         After placing colorful tika on the foreheads of their brothers, sisters offer them a treat consisting of varieties of sweets, walnut, spices and 'Sel', a special kind of bread cooked in oil.

Brothers also offer their sisters tika in return, wishing them happiness and good luck, and give them presents.

The occasion commemorates a legendary event in which a sister has won a boon from "Yama", the deity of death that her brother would not die until the mustard oil is dried up and the garland of 'dubo' and 'makhamali' faded.

The Bhai Tika tradition is so strong in Nepali society that even those who have no brothers or sisters of their own receive tika from others whom they regard as brothers and sisters.

The Nepal Sambat New Year 1145 is being celebrated across the country today amidst various programs.

The people of the Newar community have been celebrating the Nepal Sambat as New Year's Day at present.

The Nepal Sambat is an indigenous calendar of Nepal.

The Nepal Sambat or calendar year was begun by Shankhadhar Sakhwa by relieving the people of Nepal off debt during the rule of Lichchhavi King Raghavdev in 880 AD.

Recognizing the contribution of Shankhadhar Sakhwa to the country and people, the government announced Sakhwa a national luminary on November 18, 1999.

Also today, the people of the Newar community observe the Mha Puja ritual in the evening.

Mha Puja is the worship of the self. Mha Puja is based on the religious belief that the soul or self is the most important in the world and that if the soul is satisfied, the gods are also satisfied and one's life becomes meaningful and prosperous.

Likewise, the government had on October 23, 2008 nationally recognized the Nepal Sambat propounded by national luminary Shankhadhar Sakhwa.

Meanwhile, the President and the Vice-President, the Prime Minister as well as various party heads and leaders have issued statements extending best wishes to all those celebrating the Nepal Sambat today.

This day is celebrated especially as the new year of Nepal Sambat and as a special festival by the majority Newar population residing in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Banepa, Dhulikhel, Bahrabise and Dolakha. 

Gai Puja or cow worship, Goru Puja or ox worship and Govardan Puja are being observed throughout the country today on the fourth day of the five-day-long Tihar festival celebrated by the majority Hindus in the country.

The Gai Puja and Govardhan Puja rituals are observed today with the replicas of the Gai and Govardhan Mountain made out of the cow dung.

People prepare a mixture of the cow dung and ochre formed into a paste and apply on the courtyard of their homes and on the floors.

The cow is revered as mata or mother by Hindus and is sacred for them. Modern science has also proved that indigenous breeds of cows absorb the energy from the sun and the moon in their hump which is transmitted through milk to humans.

The cows are fed with sweets and delicacies as part of the Gai Puja rituals.

There is the tradition of tying the sacred thread that is tied around one's wrist on the occasion of the Janai Poornima festival on the tail of the cow while performing Gai Puja.

It is believed that doing so the cow would help the person's soul cross the Baitarani River, a mythical river, to heaven, after the person's death.

The rituals are linked to the Hindu God Sri Krishna who, according to the legend, lifted the Govardhan Mountain by his hand and protected the people of a place called Gokul from torrential rains caused by Indra, the God of rain.

It is believed that the rain God was angered and thereby caused the heavy downpour.

Similarly, the ox is also worshipped today as it is a very useful animal in different agricultural works in Nepal which is a predominantly agricultural country. 

High demand of electricity (peak demand), 1,602 megawatt, has been recorded in Laxmi Puja of this year's Tihar festival.

According to the Nepal Electricity Authority, the peak demand was recorded at 6:25 pm on Thursday, the day of Laxmi Puja.

The peak demand of power was recorded 1,438 megawatt on Laxmi Puja last year.

The high demand of electricity was more by 164 megawatt this year as compared to previous year.

The NEA added the recorded peak demand of electricity was except of industrial customers as industries, factories remain closed during Tihar.

The electricity was supplied by generating power from power houses of the country in order to meet the demand of power on the day of Laxmi Puja.

The surplus 253 megawatt of electricity was exported to India by fulfilling the demand of power of the country during peak hour.

Overall demand of 1,855 megawatt electricity was recorded in import was recorded on Lamxi Puja this year which was 1955 megawatt last year.