Gai tihar

Gai Tihar

The 3rd day of Tihar is about worshiping the mother of the universe – cow (Gai). According to Hinduism, the human infant is fed breast milk by its human mother for under three years.

After weaning, the cow acts as the surrogate mother providing milk for the rest of the human life - through childhood, adult age and old age.

Cows are the mothers of the universe, the sacred animal. The cow puja is performed by giving a tika to a cow on her forehead, and a flower garland (Flower Leis) on the neck, and offering good meals. Those performing Cow puja place her manure in different parts of the home; drink a drop or two of the cow's urine, as a part of a purification process.

Also dip a blade of grass into the urine and lightly sprinkle it on each other's body to become closer to the mother of the universe - cow.