Tihar

Madelynn with two puppies at KAT

These last three days that we are in Nepal is the festival of Tihar or Dipawali.  It is the festival of light and there is colour and light everywhere.  Strands of marigolds are everywhere and mandalas are made outside every door way and candles placed around them and on each step to the house.  There is lots of music and dancing in the streets and it is great to part of it.  Yesterday we celebrated the dog day or Kurkur Tihar here.  It is the blessing of dogs and we went to the KAT centre to be part of it.  KAT is the Kathmandu Animal Treatment centre.  Photos below.
Today we visited SBCH home which I used to be part of and where I used to stay.  The children here have grown up a lot and it is such a pleasure to be with them again even for a short while.  Tonight they came to our home and danced for us.  For this they get money, rice and food.  They go from house  to house doing this as is the custom.
I will have to add the photos tomorrow as at night there is not enough power to download them.