Tihar

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Today is the last day of Tihar, or Diwali the festival of light as it is known in India. Comprising five days of fireworks, lit up buildings, feasting, and a series of special days to worship/pay respect to crows, dogs, cows, ones self and brothers.
Towards the end of this festival is Nepal Sambat, which in the Nepali calendar is New Year's Day in the year 1130. That was yesterday and in central Kathmandu was celebrated by the Newar people with a variety of programmes of music, dancing and feasting.
Today is Bhaia Tikka, or brother's day in which sisters respect their brothers with a small puja (religious ceremony/blessing) and food. In turn the brothers give their sisters a gift. We will be visiting one of Champa's sisters houses today for this event which according to the astrologers cannot take place until after 11.53 this morning.
On the schools work front it's back to work tomorrow with the schools opening again after the break. We have a visit scheduled with the help of our friends at ECCA, the education NGO, to a government school they have helped to influence the local municipality and is therefore now thriving. It should be a good benchmark for us and we will write up news of that visit tomorrow.