Tihar in Nepal: The Festival of Lights

Nepal looks different after sunset during the Tihar festival. Oil lamps glow along windows and doorways, marigold garlands are hung across homes, rangoli welcomes you at the entrance of homes, and strings of jhilimili lights brighten the streets!

Likewise, the sound of Deusi-Bhailo can be heard in the neighborhood with groups singing, dancing, and moving from one house to another. Furthermore, the fragrance of Sel roti, Arsa, and Fini roti coming from homes will make you feel the festive spirit even before the actual celebrations!

This is the Tihar festival in Nepal. It is a five-day festival of lights, flowers, animals, and brother-sister relationships. It is also called Yama Panchak and is associated with Yama, the Hindu god of death. The third day is dedicated to the Goddess of wealth and prosperity, Laxmi.

Each day of this festival is religiously meaningful and has a distinctive significance. Animals like crows, dogs, and oxen are honored and worshipped for their role. 

Likewise, the most important part of the festival is the celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters with prayers, tika, flowers, marigold and makhamali garlands, and blessings.

Tihar is the second grand festival celebrated in Nepal after Dashain. And today, I’m going to take you through each and every aspect of it!

When is Tihar celebrated in Nepal? It is celebrated for five days according to the lunar calendar, starting on Kartik Krishna Trayodashi (the 13th lunar day of the dark/waning phase, Krishna Paksha) and ending on Kartik Shukla Dwitiya (the 2nd lunar day of the bright/waxing half of the month, Shukla Paksha). It falls in late October or early November in the Gregorian calendar.

As mentioned earlier, the Tihar festival is celebrated for honoring nature, animals, and sibling relationships:

• The crow is worshipped as the messenger of Yamaraj.
• Dogs are believed to serve as gatekeepers at the entrance to Yama’s realm and are also regarded as loyal companions and caretakers.
• Cows are believed to be embodiments of the Goddess Lakshmi.
• Oxen are worshipped to appreciate their role in the agricultural sector. 

Now, let’s come to the main day: Bhai Tika. There are two different legends associated with the Bhai Tika celebration, and they are:

Bali and Jamuna: How a Sister’s Love Outsmarted Yama

This is a popularly heard legend in the Nepali community. There was a Kirati King named Bali Hang, and one day he fell severely ill.

Then, Yamaraj, the god of death, came to claim the king’s soul. The king’s sister, Jamuna, requested Yama to wait until some of the indications proved the end of her brother’s life.

She asked Yama to wait until the “Tika” on Bali’s forehead faded, the Makhamali (Globe Amaranth) flower garland wilted, and the oil barrier she made around him evaporated.

Yama agreed and left; then, each year, he would send his messengers to check on the Makhamali flowers, but they never wilted! Yamaraj was tired and granted Bali a long and healthy life, seeing the bonds between the brother and sister. 

As a result, all the sisters worship their brothers on Bhai Tika, put on the Makhamali garland, create an oil barrier, and put on the tika to pray for the longevity of their brothers. 

Reunion of Yama and Yamuna

Here is another frequently heard legend that portrays Yama and Yamuna as brother and sister. 

Yama, as mentioned earlier, is the “Lord of Death” and was always busy with his work, so Yamuna could not meet him. Yamuna became desperate to meet him, so she started sending a crow, a dog, and a cow as messengers to Yama. Sadly, she still could not meet him!

After receiving Yamuna’s messages, Yamaraj finally visited her home on the fifth day (Kartik Shukla Dwitiya). Overjoyed by his arrival, Yamuna welcomed him warmly, prepared a lavish feast, encircled him with oil for protection, and applied a colorful Tika to his forehead.

Touched by her love and devotion, Yama declared that brothers who receive this honor from their sisters on this day will be granted long life and prosperity, establishing the beloved tradition celebrated today as Bhai Tika during Tihar.

The five-day festival carries different rituals, worship, and traditions. Firstly, it starts with honoring animals and then moves toward worshipping Goddess Lakshmi and celebrating the special bond between brothers and sisters.

I have made it easy for you by describing each day of the festival below.

Note on Tihar Dates and Tithis:

While Tihar is widely known as a 5-day festival, its schedule is determined by the Hindu lunar calendar (Tithis) rather than standard solar midnight-to-midnight calendar days.

Because a lunar Tithi can begin or end at any time during the day, two observances sometimes overlap on a single calendar day.

For instance, Kaag Tihar and Kukur Tihar may occasionally be celebrated on the same day, or Gai Puja and Lakshmi Puja may fall across different days depending on the exact lunar timing of that year.

To help you find your way around the festival, the breakdown below shows the traditional order of rituals and significance of each day.

Day 1: Dhanvantari Jayanti and Kag/Crow Tihar

The first day of the Tihar festival is called Kag Tihar, or the crow festival. Crows are believed to be the messengers of Yama, the lord of death, so on this day people honor the crows and ask for good news only!

They offer food, grains, rice, and water by placing them in a high place (like a roof or balcony), making them easily accessible for the crow.

On the same day (Krishna Paksha Trayodashi), Dhanvantari Jayanti is also celebrated, and Lord Dhanvantari (father and propagator of Ayurveda, who came out during the churning of the cosmic ocean, Samundra Manthan) is worshipped on this day!

Traditional healers and Biadhyas worship Lord Dhanvantari on this day, and students studying Ayurveda celebrate it as “Arogya Diwas”.

Day 2: Kukur Tihar (Festival of Honoring Dogs)

Kukur (Dog) Tihar is the second day of the Tihar festival, and as the name suggests, it is celebrated to honor and show gratitude towards the dogs.

They are believed to serve as gatekeepers at the entrance to Yama’s realm and are regarded as good companions and caretakers, and this day promotes compassion, kindness, and respect towards them.

Day 3: Gai Tihar and Lakshmi Puja

The third day is all about honoring cows in the morning and the Goddess Lakshmi in the evening.

This day holds great significance and is one of the most important days of the entire festival! In Hindu mythology, cows are regarded as the embodiment of the Goddess Lakshmi.

On this day, the cows are worshipped with tika, garlands, and food in the morning. The evening is all about welcoming Goddess Lakshmi with candles, diyos, and jhilimili all over the houses, rangoli at the entrances, and flowers and garlands.

Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped with great fanfare to seek blessings for wealth, prosperity, and success.

Day 4: Goru Tihar, Govardhan Puja, and Mha Puja

Goru (Oxen) are worshipped on the fourth day in many communities by showing appreciation for their hard work in the fields. People worship them, provide food, and put on garlands.

But something different happens in the Newar community, and that is Mha Puja, worshipping the self by preparing individual mandalas and performing rituals for good health and well-being. They also celebrate this day as the Newar New Year.

Now, moving to the Terai region, many people of the Terai communities celebrate this day as Govardhan Puja by making a representation of Govardhan Hill and worshipping it.

Day 5: Bhai Tika

The last day of this festival is all about the celebration of the beautiful bond of brothers and sisters.

Sisters put a seven-colored (Saptarangi) tika on their brother’s forehead. They are worshipped by putting tika, garlands, and offering flowers and food for their well-being, long life, and prosperity.

Then, the brothers give gifts and in return receive blessings from their sisters!

Yes, Tihar is known as the festival of lights, but the beauty of Tihar is not limited to the rows of lamps. It is a festival that looks, feels, and sounds beautiful!

The glow of diyos, jhilimii lights, colorful rangoli at the door, marigold garlands, lively sounds of Deusi-Bhailo, traditional songs, and dances are the aesthetic elements of Tihar that create a distinctive visual and festive atmosphere.

Rangoli: Colors at the Doorstep

A colorful decorative design, rangoli, made at the entrance of homes is one of the first things that catches your eye during the Tihar festival!

Rangoli is made on the third day, Gai Tihar/Lakshmi pooja, in order to decorate a welcoming path toward the house for inviting Goddess Lakshmi into the home.

Hence, rangoli is an important element of Tihar that adds both color and a sense of auspicious welcome to the festival.

Diyo: The Traditional Glow of Tihar

Since Tihar is known as the festival of lights, it is very much about the diyos (oil lamps) that are placed around doors, windows, and balconies.

Especially during the day of Lakshmi Puja, the glow from the diyos and candles makes the surroundings different and beautiful. It is also believed that these lights illuminated in the homes and surroundings help to eliminate negativity and bring positivity and joy.

Along with traditional diyos, another impressive feature of the Tihar festival is the modern Jhilimili lights that illuminate the homes, surroundings, streets, and community. Every person puts on jhilimili lights all over their home.

King Bali and Deusi Bhailo Songs

Deusi Bhailo songs are an important element of the Tihar festival. They are special songs and dances that are performed door to door from groups of children to elderly people!

It is a tradition of giving blessings to people in exchange for money or homemade food. There are different myths and legends for the origin. Let me get into them.

One chronology mentions that in prehistoric times, there was a kind ruler named Bali. He started the trend of donating exuberantly on this day in exchange for blessings from Lord Vishnu, and the culture of playing deusi bhailo was initiated from here.

On the other hand, there is a different story, and it is believed that Deusi was first observed in Mugu district. This story mentions that there was a Khas King, Bali Raja, and he was attacked by the Mughals.

He sent groups of soldiers from house to house to collect donations; the money and food collected were used to support the soldiers fighting in the war!

So, we can often hear the groups saying “Hami Tesai Ayeka Hainau, Bali Raja le Pathayeka.”

During the Tihar festival, festive flavors begin appearing in Nepali kitchens, and the fragrance spreads all over the community!

Crispy sel roti, sweet anarsa, and delicate fini roti are the ones that make the festival feel complete! Besides these, there are other traditional foods and dishes prepared and eaten during Tihar.

Here are the foods without which Tihar feels incomplete:

• Sel Roti: One of the most popular traditional Nepali dishes made during the Tihar festival is Sel Roti. You won’t find any homes that don’t prepare Sel Roti during this festival. It is also offered as prasad on the day of Lakshmi Pooja. It is ring-shaped and prepared from a batter of rice flour, water, sugar, and ghee.
• Anarsa/Chini Roti: Another commonly prepared dish is Anarsa and Chini Roti. These dishes are prepared from the dough of rice flour, water, ghee, and jaggery. It is deep-fried in oil by making small flattened circles, then coated with sesame for Anarsa and with sugar for Chini Roti.
• Arsa: Arsa is another traditional dish made during the Tihar festival and is prepared from a mixture of rice flour and jaggery or sugar. However, the preparation and making style vary from community to community. It is also prepared in small flattened circles and deep-fried until it turns golden in color.
• Fini Roti: It is another important dish prepared in the Tihar festival and is a white, thin, crispy, layered bread made from refined flour. The texture is light and crispy, and the taste of each layer is flavorful. Fini is made from all-purpose flour (maida) for the base dough, and Satho (a paste of ghee and rice flour) is filled in each layer of Fini roti. Then the dough is folded, flattened, and deep-fried in the oil. Fini is light, flaky, and mildly sweet or buttery in taste!
• Lakhamari: It is a delicious Newari dish and also known as a traditional Newari sweet. It is made from a thick batter of rice flour, ghee, and butter. Lakhamari comes in different shapes and sizes. The batter is deep fried and glazed in sugar syrup, which makes the sweet taste better.

The Tihar festival is celebrated all over Nepal, but not every community has the same rituals and way of celebration. The main celebrations of lights, worship, family gatherings, and festive food are the same, but different communities celebrate this festival in their own way and have their own rituals.

Allow me to explain:

Newar Community

The Newar community celebrates Tihar as Sunti, and the fourth day is unique and different from other communities because of Mha Puja, the worship of the self.

A mandala is made for each person, and offerings are arranged as part of the ritual. The puja is associated with purification, well-being, prosperity, and longevity of oneself.

Similarly, the same day is also celebrated as the Newari New Year of Nepal Sambat, as per the traditional Newar calendar. Hence, the fourth day has special cultural importance in Newar communities.

Madhesh and Terai Community

The Tharu communities and the people of Terai also celebrate the Tihar festival. But they have their own ways of celebrating!

They term the festival Deepawali or Diwali. In some Tharu communities, people welcome Lakshmi by playing “Hukke-Hukka” and by driving out ghosts and evils.

They sing the song, “Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, come into the house; negativity, ghosts, and evil spirits get out of the house.”

Moreover, they prepare traditional Tharu delicacies like Bagiy (a flat, pointed rice-flour dumpling popular in eastern Nepal in the morning), alongside steamed rice-dough delicacies like Dhikri popular in western Nepal.

Clearly, these traditional foods and the way of their celebrations give a different flavor in Tharu households during the Tihar festival.

Hill Communities

The Tihar festival is celebrated across many hill communities of Nepal. Homes are cleaned and decorated with rangoli and marigold garlands at entrances, electric lights are displayed, and diyos are lit.

Animals are worshipped and honored on their respective days, as I explained earlier, along with family gatherings and festive food being the major highlights!

Deusi-Bhailo program is popular in hilly areas, and groups go from house to house singing, dancing, and offering blessings, while the household gives them money and food.

In this way, Tihar is celebrated among different communities with their own rituals, and there is no specific way of celebration. One community focuses on Govardhan Puja, while another prioritizes Mha Puja (popular in Kathmandu Valley).

If you want to experience the color, warmth, lights, and community spirit of Nepal, then the Tihar festival is perfect for you!

This festival is celebrated in homes and neighborhoods all over the country, so you do not need to attend a large public event to experience it. As the sun sets, you can stroll the streets and enjoy the warmth of glowing diyos, rangoli, flower garlands, jhilimili lights, and the sound of Deusi-Bhailo.

Now let me tell you the best ways to celebrate Tihar as a tourist:

• Experience Tihar in local neighbourhoods: Strolling around the neighbourhoods in the evening is the easiest way to experience Tihar festival. Houses are decorated with oil lamps, candles, electric lights, and flowers. On the day of Lakshmi Puja you can also see artistic designs of rangoli.
• Watch or participate in Deusi-Bhailo: Groups of people go from house to house singing traditional Tihar songs, dancing, and giving blessings, and in return the household gives them money, food, and other gifts. This tradition is known as Deusi-Bhailo and it is an experience to enjoy. You can see their performances and even join in with dancing and singing with them.
• Enjoy traditional Tihar food: If you are a sweet lover, then Tihar is the best opportunity to taste several traditional Tihar foods, including sweets, snacks, and other culinary delights. Several dishes like selroti, anarsa, arsa, fini roti, lakhamari, and other sweets are prepared in the household. Some of the local shops also prepare these items, so you can get them there or accept the invitation if any local family invites you to share a meal!
• Experience Newari New Year and Mha Puja: The fourth day of the festival is celebrated in a grand way, especially by the Newar community. In the morning, the New Year (Nhu:-Daya Bhintuna) rally covers the streets and alleys, and the evening is all about worshipping oneself. This worship (puja) focuses on honoring one’s own essence and is associated with well-being, prosperity, and longevity. This is not a tourist performance; it is an important religious ritual celebrated at home by the family members. So, you need to take help from a guide and ask permission to watch or participate in the Mha Puja.

I am saying again that Tihar is celebrated all over Nepal, and you do not need to travel far to participate and enjoy this festival. However, some places offer spectacular vibes and rich cultural surroundings.

Here is a list of a few tourist places in Nepal where you can enjoy the festival most.

• Kathmandu: One of the easy places to experience Tihar is the capital city, Kathmandu, and it will be a perfect combination if you want to combine the festival with sightseeing. The city is much brighter during the festival as shops, homes, streets, and historic areas are decorated with diyos, flowers, and electric lights. You can combine the Tihar experience with Kathmandu’s major cultural sites, including Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath Stupa, Pashupatinath Temple, and Boudhanath Stupa. Swayambhunath is the best viewpoint to see Kathmandu illuminated at night, and Thamel becomes twice as vibrant as normal days.
• Patan: Patan Durbar Square is an obvious starting point to explore the area. The traditional surroundings create a beautiful backdrop for the festival of lights. You can walk through old neighborhoods where lamps, flowers, rangoli, and traditional architecture come together. Additionally, Patan will be the best place to explore Newar culture and heritage walks, traditional courtyards, local food, and to understand Mha Puja.
• Bhaktapur: If you want to celebrate Tihar in a place that is surrounded by an ancient-world setting, then choose the Bhaktapur Durbar Square area. The historic streets are completely different after sunset during the Tihar festival.
• Pokhara: You can celebrate Tihar with lake and mountain views in Pokhara. Enjoy different activities during the day and spectacular views at nighttime.

Tihar is closest to Diwali in India. Both follow the same five-day lunar span, and both treat the third day, Lakshmi Puja, as the main one.

But the days around it differ. Diwali in India runs through Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Dooj. In North India, it also remembers Rama's return to Ayodhya.

The same season has other local versions:

• Kali Puja (West Bengal): Goddess Kali is worshipped on the new moon night when Lakshmi is worshipped elsewhere.
• Bandi Chhor Divas (Sikh tradition): It marks Guru Hargobind's release from Gwalior Fort along with 52 kings, and the Golden Temple in Amritsar is lit with lamps.
• Deepavali (Singapore): It has been a public holiday since 1929, and the Little India light-up along Serangoon Road began in 1985.

You see, the lamps and the idea of light over darkness stay the same, but the story behind them changes from place to place.

And if you are in Nepal during Tihar, Kukur Tihar, a full day for dogs, is something not seen on the Diwali calendar in India!

In conclusion, Tihar is much more than a festival of lights. The festival begins with crows and dogs, moves through the worship of cows and Lakshmi, honors oxen and worship of the self in different traditions, and wraps up with the personal bond between brothers and sisters.

The combination of diyos, flowers, rangoli, foods, songs, dances, and community spirits makes the Tihar Festival in Nepal very distinct from others!

Over five days, the festival brings spiritual and religious rituals, worship, animals, celebration, ancient stories, and modern lights. It is a celebration of life, family, nature, prosperity, and the relationships that bring people together. Each day carries its own meaning and tradition!

Hence, as a visitor, you can get a wonderful opportunity to experience a different side of Nepal. You can walk through glowing neighborhoods, admire rangoli and flower decorations, listen to Deusi-Bhailo, taste traditional festive foods, and learn about the customs of different communities.