Tihar - Festival of Lights in Nepal  

Tihar, also known as Deepawali, and one of Nepal's biggest festivals, known as the Festival of Lights, which brings bright colors. The festival illuminates the country with warm, cheerful energy throughout its days.   

The festival of Tihar spans five days to recognize both the emotional connection humans possess with animals and the victory of light over darkness.    

Families decorate their houses during Tihar by using brilliant oil lamps and colorful rangoli designs together with candles.   

During this festival, people show their respect for death messengers through crow ceremonies before worshipping the holy cow as a sign of prosperity.   

Through its combination of traditions and cultural elements, and nature gratitude, the festival becomes a celebration.   

The atmosphere becomes alive with resounding firecrackers together with delicious home-cooked scents, while family members create uncontrollable laughter.    

During Tihar, people celebrate the festivity of life while expressing love through a unity that unites everyone in a harmonious celebration.   

When is Tihar celebrated in Nepal?  

According to the lunar calendar, Nepal celebrates the Tihar festival known as Deepawali or Festival of Lights during October or November.    

Tihar begins five days after Kartika's complete moon phase during October or November according to the lunar Hindu calendar.    

The yearly dates of the festival shift each year within the mid-October to early November time which unites people in their shared celebration through lights and decorative elements and ancient rituals.   

Why is Tihar celebrated?   

Nepal celebrates Tihar as a holy event that honors the spiritual bond between humans and animals as well as all natural elements. In Hindu mythology, this tradition symbolizes how light defeats darkness alongside good overcoming evil.    

This celebration links to Lord Yama, who as the god of death is believed to visit humans currently to give blessings of health, wealth, and longevity.    

During Tihar, people use the occasion to ask for divine blessings and appreciate the blessings they have received in their lives. During Tihar, people light oil lamps and candles because they symbolize the dominance of wisdom and virtue above ignorance and darkness.  

Hindus worship animals as sacred creatures while honoring them during the Tihar festivities. Different days during the festival are dedicated to honoring the crow, dog, cow, and ox.    

During Tihar, the community worships crows because they deliver messages about death and dogs because they uphold loyalty and serve as companions.  

Cows are respected as symbols that link to agricultural prosperity and economic growth. People respect and honor ox because these animals form the core of agricultural work.    

The festival shows a deep reverence for nature by promoting human alignment with animals and environmental conservation. During this time, families gather to express gratitude and make prayers for the wellbeing and prosperity of every living creature.   

The Five Days of Tihar: Traditions and Customs   

The five days of the Tihar festival bring distinctive traditions and customs while preserving their individual importance to this celebration. Each day during Tihar brings its own traditions and ceremonies, which we will analyze step by step.   

Day 1: Kaag Tihar (Crow Day)   

The first day of Tihar focuses on crows, which Hindu mythology views as carriers between life and death.    

On Kaag Tihar, individuals provide food including rice and sweets and other delectable offerings to crows with the objective of acquiring protection and fortune.   

This tradition involves feeding crows because people believe these birds will guide departed spirits through the threshold to their destination. People arrange offerings on rooftops, believing crows will visit to accept these gifts.   

Day 2: Kukur Tihar (Dog Day)   

Dogs are honored on the second day due to their reputation as guardians and loyal companions.   

Kukur Tihar is an honor with the emotional connection humans share with dogs alongside recognizing dogs for their protective and loyal instincts.    

On this day dogs receive flower decorations alongside tika marks placed on their foreheads consisting of vermilion mixed with yogurt.     

People show their appreciation to devoted dogs through offering delectable meat items and sweet treats or bowls of rice as food rewards.   

People use this day to show appreciation for their dogs as companions who guard and support their loved ones.  

Day 3: Gai Tihar (Cow Day) and Laxmi Puja (Goddess of Wealth)  

The third day has two essential ceremonies, Gai Tihar (Cow Day) and Laxmi Puja. The daily ritual starts with honoring the cow because Nepalese culture and religious traditions place special significance on this animal.

Nepalese people worship cows because these animals create wealth through agriculture and produce milk and stand as symbols of abundance.   

People adorn cows with flower decorations and apply tika while presenting them with fresh green vegetation.   

The evening brings worship to Goddess Laxmi during Laxmi Puja to ask for fortune and prosperity in people's lives.   

During this time, people cleaned their homes using oil lamps and rangoli designs and decorated their houses with both candles and coloured powders.    

Local people illuminate their residences to announce the arrival of Goddess Laxmi which symbolizes their desire for abundant wealth and prosperity during the new year.   

Families spend this day together, sharing food while offering sweets to mark their unity.   

Day 4: Govardhan Puja   

On the fourth day of Tihar, people honor Govardhan Hill based on the story of Lord Krishna. The legend reveals that Krishna lifted the Govardhan Mountain as a shield against the heavy rains that Indra sent down to punish the villagers.   

During this celebration, people fashion miniature representations of Govardhan Hill from cow dung before decorating them with flowers while offering prayers for forthcoming prosperity.   

The period brings people to thoroughly clean their homes while decorating with vibrant ornaments, while sharing gifts with family and friends to strengthen their bonds and launch a new cycle of financial growth.   

Day 5: Bhai Tika (Brother’s Day)   

Bhai Tika is the final day of Tihar while serving as Brother's Day to Nepalese community members. People celebrate this day by showing appreciation for the special connection between male and female siblings.    

The tradition involves sisters applying tika while their brothers visit their homes, then receive flower garlands.  

As part of the Bhai Tika tradition, the brothers receive gifts from their sisters while making promises to defend them during the entire year.    

Bhai Tika represents the strong familial bond of siblings while simultaneously serving as a major time to strengthen family ties.  

People end the day with festivities and feasts alongside celebrations that bring families together for one joyful gathering.  

How to celebrate Tihar?   

The celebration of Tihar brings together joyful rituals, decorations, family activities, and religious ceremonies.    

You can follow these traditional steps to celebrate Tihar according to the following order:   

1. Clean and Decorate Your Home   

A complete house cleaning takes place as the celebration period begins. The society holds that home cleanliness brings about prosperity alongside good fortune in life.    

The next step after house cleaning includes the placement of oil lamps together with candles and rangoli patterns made from flower petals or colored powders throughout the home.    

Marigold garlands provide beautiful decorations when suspended across entrances as well as windows. House lighting during Tihar functions as a welcome gesture for prosperity and happiness to enter the home.   

2. Offer Prayers and Worship   

Different prayer practices and customs prevail on each day of Tihar.    

For Kaag Tihar (Crow Day), you should put rice combined with sweets and grains outside your roof to create a crow-feeding opportunity.   

On Kukur Tihar, people honour dogs with religious rituals that include applying tika on their heads and giving them food while appreciating their dedication.    

Gai Tihar (Cow Day) joins with Laxmi Puja (Goddess of Wealth) in requiring people to deck cows with garlands while adding tika and giving cows grass.   

As part of Laxmi Puja rituals, you should adorn your house with illumination while performing worship to Goddess Laxmi for her blessings of wealth and prosperity.   

3. Celebrate with Family and Friends   

Tihar is an occasion when families meet alongside other community members during this festival period.  

Family members meet every year to celebrate Laxmi Puja by offering one another traditional sweets along with traditional snacks and meals.   

Family members and friends exchange presents during this time to show their feelings of love toward one another. Laxmi Puja gains additional celebratory power from the combination of laughter and music together with dancing.   

4. Play with Lights and Fireworks   

The highlight of Tihar arrives with the spectacular spectacle of setting fireworks along with firecrackers.   

The celebration of Laxmi Puja brings people together to illuminate their residences with diya oil lamps and candles, which symbolize the triumph of light against darkness.    

The celebration reaches a new level because fireworks serve as important elements that bring charm to the urban streets.   

Safety along with responsible celebration duties require both respect for your surrounding environment as well as for the environment itself.  

5. Celebrate Bhai Tika  

During the final Tihar event, people observe Bhai Tika, which is the day devoted to celebrating sibling relationships, particularly through forehead tika application and marigold flower garland exchange.   

On the last day of Tihar, sisters welcome their brothers while placing colorful forehead tika and presenting marigold flower garlands.   

The act of blessing their sisters through gifts completes the brothers' part of the tradition during Bhai Tika. During this special moment, people have the chance to develop their sibling relationships through heartwarming displays of affection.   

6. Feast on Delicious Traditional Dishes  

When it comes to Tihar celebrations, food maintains an important position. Traditional Nepali holiday food includes Sel Roti as well as samosa and chocolate, and Dahi Chiura (yogurt and flattened rice).   

These alongside other festive dishes, can be prepared for your celebration. When family members share traditional dishes, it enhances the festival atmosphere filled with joy.  

7. Social and Cultural Activities  

People living in Nepal will have the opportunity to attend local fairs, cultural performances, and public celebrations.   

During these communal events, people both sing local songs while also playing traditional games alongside participating in group activities. People who want to experience Tihar in full spirit can participate in festivities that take place across their residential areas.   

These guidelines will help you celebrate Tihar in a traditional manner so you can experience authentic Nepalese culture and build a bond with people through memorable celebrations.   

8. Play Deusi and Bhailo  

Playing Deusi and Bhailo is a central, exciting part of the Tihar festivities because people use these traditional songs to celebrate the holiday.  

Young people of all ages, inclusive of children, perform male Deusi and female Bhailo songs through communal house visits.   

People who perform these songs do so with the intention to deliver wishes for prosperity, together with health and happiness to homeowners throughout their new year. Small gifts and money, together with sweets, form the payment for the performers' show.   

Through this practice, neighbours and friends can unite while sharing celebrations because they participate together in festive happiness.   

Throughout the festival, people find pleasure in both the cheery music entertainment along dancing and singing, which generates a vibrant and enjoyable ambiance that people relish.  

Tihar Decorations: Lights, Rangoli, and Diyas   

Tihar festivals cause an entire national celebration through both literal illumination and figurative brightness.  

Home decorations, along with street embellishments and public spaces, form Tihar's most beautiful tradition, which creates a radiant visual display.    

During Tihar celebrations, lights, rangoli designs, and diyas fill the space because they represent the victory of light and goodness over the dark.   

Tihar decoration, consisting of lights together with rangoli and diyas, stands as an essential components that enhance the festival's importance.   

1. Lights: A Symbol of Prosperity and Blessings   

Oil lamps combined with electric lights and candles create the most beautiful traditional practice during Tihar.    

Countless decorative lights illuminating homes along with temples serve as an invitation for Goddess Laxmi to enter each household as the Goddess of Wealth.   

During Laxmi Puja night, all spaces inside the house glow with multicoloured illumination to generate a cheerful, festive spirit.    

Through these lights people aim to remove both ignorance and negative energy from their lives while welcoming wealth and knowledge together with peace.   

2. Diyas: Small but Powerful   

People use small oil lamps called diyas as the main decorative element during Tihar. People position diyas at windowsills and doorways as well as in home locations.    

People believe that burning these small oil lamps will lead Goddess Laxmi to their house to bring good fortune during the upcoming year.   

The lighting of diyas functions on two levels because they simultaneously represent both actual lighting and the spiritual illumination which removes darkness.   

Groups of people unite to light the diyas as they create an atmosphere that celebrates happiness and optimism.   

When diyas illuminate every nook of the house throughout the night, they radiate peace and light against darkness.   

3. Rangoli: Vibrant Patterns of Color and Creativity   

Rangoli making is a vital decorative element for decorating during Tihar. The traditional art form Rangoli combines the names "mandala" or "kolam", where people create elaborate floor decorations near entry points.    

People create multiple decorative patterns from various materials such as colored powders and flowers, and ric,e which take shapes from geometric figures to animals and symbolic depictions of deities.    

Rangoli is an artistic tradition that generates welcoming spaces for Goddess Laxmi to bring blessings into households.   

Rangoli designs and various colours, with their beautiful patterns, create joyful atmospheres that fuse personal artistic expressions into festival decorations.  

4. Flower Garlands and Marigolds  

During Tihar, people extensively use flowers, especially marigolds, to decorate their homes. Marigolds become traditional decorations that hang from windows and doors, and altar areas.   

During Tihar the cheerful hues of marigold flowers serve to make spaces more beautiful as they also convey positive and energetic festival blessings.   

Rangoli designs are enhanced with flower petals and garlands represent prosperity and good luck when placed for decoration.  

Marigolds have special sacred value in Nepali traditions since people use them during Tihar ceremonies to offer to sacred entities.   

5. Paper Lanterns and Torans  

In Tihar celebrations, people decorate their homes with paper lanterns combined with torans, which serve as hanging decorative garlands.  

Festive house lighting features illuminated lanterns that burn with candles while emitting joyful house light.   

Homes protect themselves from evil entities by displaying Torans above doors and windows, which use flowers or beads or colorful paper materials. These decorations attract positive forces and prevent negative spirits.   

Paper lights used as hanging decorations create additional festive energy during Tihar since they combine bright colours with celebratory decor.   

6. Animal Decorations: Acknowledging Their Importance  

For Kukur Tihar (Dog Day) and Gai Tihar (Cow Day) festivals, participants decorate both dogs and cows.  

During Tihar, the ritual celebrates animals by placing marigold garlands on them and applying tika decorations, followed by providing special foods as gifts.   

During Dog Tihar, dogs get floral decoration treatments along with tika and enjoy unique celebratory meal offerings.  

These decorative items honor the animals as they represent our appreciation for their significant role in everyday existence.  

Festive Foods and Delicacies of Tihar   

The Tihar festival creates sensory delights through celebrations and lights together with prayers and prayerful eating. Traditional foods along with sweet delicacies during the festival create an even more splendid celebration.    

The culinary traditions of Tihar are deeply bound to the cultural festivities that take place during the festival days through specific meals.    

The festival of Tihar includes both eye-catching decorations and festive foods consisting of crispy rotis with savory snacks and rich sweets.    

Several popular festive foods specific to Tihar create its unique flavour profile, including Sel Roti, among others.   

1. Sel Roti   

Sel Roti is one of the most popular and traditional homemade doughnuts among Tihar festival foods because it combines rice flour with sugar and ghee.   

Fried as a round ring form, this traditional food delivers a crunchy outside layer that surrounds tender dough.     

The Nepalese holiday Tihar includes Sel Roti as a favourite food item that people eat with either chutney or yogurt.  

Every Nepali family makes this special dessert as part of the festival since it represents both festive joy and life's sweetness.   

2. Fini Roti   

Fini Roti stands out as one of the enjoyable roti choices people make during the Tihar celebrations. Wheat flour with ghee and flour makes this tasty round-shaped delicacy, which results in a perfectly crispy outcome.  

Fini Roti provides a crispy texture and light consistency, which draws people toward it as an ideal celebratory treat.   

3. Sinkamari Roti   

Sinkamari Roti serves as one of many sweet bread options made for Tihar celebrations because of its unique texture and appearance.   

Deep-fried from wheat flour and ghee with added sugar, these rotis become crunchy on the exterior yet retain softness inside to create an exquisite combination of tastes.    

Family members enjoy Sinkamari Roti, which comes with sweet yogurt or chutney while celebrating Tihar festivities. It looks like small lines, like textures. 

The culinary masterpiece Sinkamari Roti presents a delightful combination of sweet flavour with a crisp texture, which brings happiness to all Tihar participants.  

4. Anrasa Roti  

During the Tihar festivals, people prepare Anrasa Roti as a delectable food for Bhai Tika ceremonies. Using rice flour together with sugar and additional ingredients, including cardamom and ghee, people make these round rotis.   

Small round roti undergoes frying in oil until they develop golden brown hues. These rotis display a tender, chewy texture inside while presenting an outer layer covered in sugar.  

Anrasa Roti brings festive joy to celebrations by representing both family love and good luck for everyone involved.   

5. Mithai (Sweets)  

A wide selection of mithai (sweets) serves as a necessary component to complete the Tihar festival.   

Different types of sweets like barfi, laddu, Gulab Jamun, Pedas, and Kheer are shared with loved ones as a gesture of goodwill, which also shows blessings between family members.  

Sugary food products are fundamental throughout Tihar festivities as people either make them by hand or buy them from nearby sweet shops.    

The sharing of sweets takes place during Laxmi Puja and Bhai Tika ceremonies as well as during Deusi and Bhailo gatherings. Sharing food as gifts brings happiness to everyone, just like the festival is meant to do.   

6. Chhoila   

During Tihar, people who prefer savoury flavours enjoy eating Chhoila, which is one of their favourite festival dishes.    

Chhoila represents a traditional Nepali culinary tradition that starts by marinating buffalo or chicken meat with spice mixes before roasting or grilling.   

It is served, along with chilli and green herbs, are typically served as toppings to enhance the flavour of this dish.    

Chhoila's smoky and spiced flavour delivers ideal seasoning to the sweet treats that people eat during Tihar festivities.   

7. Drinks: A Refreshing Touch   

Traditional drink options supplement the meals and celebration times throughout Tihar.    

During the festival, people enjoy drinking Chaas, which is a spiced buttermilk beverage that provides relief from warm weather.  

Family celebrations and special events often include alcoholic beverages that families serve to celebrate the festive season.  

Importance of Tihar   

Tihar is a major holiday with religious and cultural importance in Nepal, thus becoming one of its most observed festivals.    

Through its celebration, the festival represents the triumph of luminosity instead of shadow, while making right decency as superior to wickedness and wisdom surpassing the power of ignorance.   

During Tihar, families unite to honor their important animals which include cows, dogs, and crows as part of Nepalese tradition and everyday life.    

During Tihar, the Nepalese people develop powerful ties with nature while strengthening their relationship with animals, especially in rural areas where animals play a key role in maintaining survival.    

The lighting of oil lamps (diyas) and the vibrant decorations during Tihar serve as a reminder of hope, positivity, and unity in the community.   

Tihar combines its religious elements with opportunities for social connection as well as demonstrations of affection between people.   

During the special occasion of Bhai Tika, Nepalese family members unite to show their love for each other by dedicating prayers for mutual well-being.  

For various generations Nepalese people have preserved their Tihar traditions because they show core social values of respect and harmony and expression of gratitude.   

Where and How Tourists Can Celebrate Tihar in Nepal?  

The bright and joyous festival of Tihar in Nepal creates a magical experience for all visitors who choose to spend time in the country during this festive season.   

During the Tihar festival, tourists will find diverse opportunities to experience the celebrations because they can explore between vibrant Kathmandu or quiet rural areas.   

Tourists who want to participate in Tihar festivities in Nepal should learn about the following celebration activities:   

1. Kathmandu Valley   

The origin of Tihar celebrations takes place at the centre of the Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu along with Patan and Bhaktapur display their vibrant spirit with thousands of lit lights combined with decorative Diyas and ornamental rangoli creations.   

People fill the air with Deusi and Bhailo songs while marketplaces become crowded as the population buys necessary items for Tihar, including sweets, flowers and decorative items.  

How to Celebrate:   

Both the Swayambhunath Stupa (Monkey Temple) and Pashupatinath Temple have grand Laxmi Puja ceremonies, which draw tourists to see the rich devotion and respectful religious rituals.   

People can participate in traditional Deusi-Bhailo rituals by joining local groups which perform house-to-house singing and receive blessings while getting treats.   

Nighttime Cultural Performances including dance shows are widely organized during Tihar allowing visitors to watch traditional dances blend with contemporary elements.   

2. Pokhara   

Tihar in Pokhara receives massive enthusiasm from the residents who add their celebration to the fame of the city's natural attractiveness.   

The celebrations in this city maintain the same level of magnitude as Kathmandu but exist in a calmer environment.  

Phewa Lake area along with other lakeside locations experience decorations with diyas which generate an enchanting and peaceful nighttime ambiance.   

How to Celebrate:   

Visitors can admire Lakeview Celebrations by observing people light diyas on Lake water because this symbolic ritual represents peace during boat illuminations.   

The Tihar trekking packages arranged by select agencies enable tourists to witness traditional village celebrations which includes animal worship ceremonies.   

Travel to visit the residential communities of Sarangkot and Kahun Danda because you can witness village Tihar festivities complete with musical performances and traditional dances alongside typical local cuisine.   

Local communities provide visitors with the rare chance to view the celebrations of Tihar through local customs.   

3. Rural Nepal    

The rural sections of Nepal enable tourists to experience traditional Tihar celebrations that include deep-rooted celebrations. The authentic spirit of Tihar meets visitors who choose to celebrate the festival in the villages of Gosaikunda, Langtang, and Annapurna.   

How to Celebrate:   

Tourists should join local households to discover how villagers perform their animal rituals, particularly regarding cows, dogs, and crows. 

In rural areas, Laxmi is honored through households and fields getting lamp lightings for their celebrations.   

Nepali trekking agencies arrange Tihar celebration packages that let foreign travellers experience these rural areas during their trekking journeys by uniting natural beauty with festival spirit.  

Participate in the dog and cow honor ceremonies during which locals decorate and feed their faithful animals, celebrating their significance to everyday living.  

4. Cultural and Religious Sites   

During Tihar, the spiritual core of this festival becomes most tangible in Nepal's historic temples along with stupas and religious sites. 

Tourists can observe the sacred devotion of Tihar through visits to Durbar Squares temples along with sacred sites at Kathmandu and Lumbini, which is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. 

How to Celebrate:   

Travelers should visit places like Boudhanath Stupa and Patan Durbar Square to observe the local people perform rituals while illuminating thousands of lamps in honor of Laxmi the goddess.   

The celebration involves residents who gather for spiritual ceremonies which incorporate cultural traditions that include burning lamps as well as performing musical performances.   

Tourists can participate in prayers along with attending religious rituals during Lumbini's festival, where Buddhist populations perform their own distinct rituals.   

5. Adventure and Trekking in the Himalayas   

Tihar provides trekking enthusiasts who want active festival participation an ideal chance to combine outdoor exploration with holiday festivities.   

During their trek to bases including Everest Base Camp or Annapurna Circuit or Manaslu trekkers can encounter festive activities in isolated mountain villages.   

How to Celebrate:   

During Tihar, many hiking trails lead to remote communities where people practice their local customs.   

This location provides visitors with two special experiences that city dwellers would miss, since they can observe both and participate in cultural practices unique to rural communities.    

The opportunity to experience mountain trekking with local guides provides local cultural expertise and rich traditional knowledge about Tihar celebrations during hikes.   

Tourists can enhance their mountain adventure by joining activities where they light small lamps or Diyas on peak summits and camp locations during treks.