Kartik Shukla Pratipada and Yamapanchak i.e. the fourth day of Tihar is being celebrated today by worshiping cows and eating sweet food. Worshiping cows as sacred is a tradition since ancient Vedic times.
Cows are revered as Gaumata. Modern science has also proved that cows are important because the energy of the local breeds of cows takes energy from the sun and the moon and gives strength to humans through milk, gahut and dung.
It is a religious belief that if cow is worshiped and given sweet food on these days, purity obtained from cow will always be obtained. In some parts of Nepal and in some communities, there is a tradition of cow worship on the day of Kartik Krishna Aunsi, but there is a classical belief that cows should be worshiped at the end of Aunsi and at the beginning of Pratipada.
Vedic Sanatan Hindus have a method of offering cows in every action. The cow is respected as the national animal. There is also a religious belief that if the Rakshabandhan tied on the right hand is tied to the cow's tail after cow worship on the day of Saun Shukla Purnima, the cow will cross the river Vaitarani to go to heaven after death.
Festival