Tharu community celebrates Dashain with Dhikri Puja

By Santosh Dahit, Dang, Oct. 18: The Tharu community has its own distinctive traditions for celebrating Dashain. The festivities in Tharu villages gather momentum with the worship of Dhikri on Ashtami, followed by Pitri Puja and the traditional Gaunlya Tika ceremony.

On Ashtami, members of the Tharu community worship Dhikri, a traditional food made from rice flour, while observing age-old rituals accompanied by the rhythmic beats of the madal and traditional songs and dances.

Dhikri, prepared in round, elongated and other shapes, is offered to household deities in the evening as part of the ritual. Tharu community leaders say the worship expresses respect for food grains while preserving traditions and cultural practices passed down through generations.

According to Churna Bahadur Chaudhary, central treasurer of the Tharu Welfare Assembly, the community has traditionally performed Dhikri Puja to honour food grains and pray for prosperity.

On the day before the worship, ritual items, including Painstope and Dhakya, are traditionally washed in streams and other water sources. Women and men prepare for the ceremony according to their respective traditional roles. Women spend the day making Dhikri, while men observe a fast and prepare for the evening worship.