KATHMANDU, Nov 6: The festival of light, Deepawali or Tihar is just a week away. The festival, also known for strengthening ties between brothers and sisters, remains incomplete if we do not talk about lamps and lights.

People light lamps and candles at their homes, yards, offices, and alleys and lanes with a belief that Goddess Laxmi (goddess of wealth according to the Hindu religion) will enter their houses and bless them with prosperity and riches.

Traditional clay-lamps (diyo) are usually used to illuminate the houses during the festival that usually falls in the month of Kartik.

Along with the modernization and influence of modern technology, oil-fed lamps are gradually being displaced by the electric lamps. According to a report, electric decorative lights worth over Rs 600 million were imported in Nepal in 2018.

However, there are still some people who prefer traditional lights to electric ones arguing that the oil-wick lamps offer the original flavour of the age-long tradition.

When a Republica photojournalist reached the Pottery Square on the premises of Bhaktapur Durbar Square, potters were found busy moulding the clay into earthen lamps (diyos) in view of the fast approaching Tihar festival.

The potters, however, said that the story this year is quite different owing to the fears of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Here are some photos captured on Bhaktapur Durbar Square premises on Friday afternoon.

 
• Deepawali
 
• Tihar
 
• Diyo
 
• earthen_lamps