KATHMANDU, Oct 25: Kartik Shukla Pratipada and Yamapanchak i.e., the fourth day of Tihar is being celebrated today by worshiping cows and offering them delicious food.

Worshiping cows as sacred is a tradition since ancient Vedic times. Cows are revered as cow mothers because the milk given by cows is as nutritious as the milk given by human mothers.

Modern science has also proved that cows are important because the energy of the local breed of cow is taken from the sun and moon and gives strength to humans through milk, urine and cow dung.

It is a religious belief that if cows are worshiped and given delicious food on this day, purity obtained from cows will always be obtained.

In some parts of Nepal and some communities, there is a tradition of worshiping cow on the day of Kartik Krishna Aunsi, but there is a classical belief that cows should be worshiped at the end of Aunsi and at the beginning of Pratipada, according to theologian Ramchandra Gautam.

Cows are also respected as cow mothers. The cow is respected as the national animal of Nepal.

There is also a religious belief that if the Rakshabandhan tied on the right hand is tied to the cow's tail after cow worship, the cow will help cross the river Vaitarani to go to heaven after death.

 
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• Yamapanchak