Tihar

Honouring animals

Each of the opening days focuses on an animal companion. The festival begins with Kaag Tihar, when people place grains, seeds, and sweets on rooftops for crows and ravens, who are seen as messengers for Yama, the god of justice. The second day, Kukur Tihar, turns to dogs. House pets and street dogs alike receive forehead markings of coloured paste, fresh marigold garlands, and rich plates of food to thank them for their loyalty. On the third morning, families worship cows, offering special treats and gratitude for their nourishing milk and help on the land.

Welcoming prosperity

The third evening brings Lakshmi Puja, the festival's central night. Because this falls on the dark new moon, households wash their rooms, hang marigold garlands over doorways, and set clay oil lamps called diyos along window sills and pathways. The bright flames guide Lakshmi, the goddess of good fortune, into every corner. Intricate floor patterns called rangoli are crafted in courtyards from flower petals, dry flour, and coloured rice. Later in the evening, groups of neighbourhood children go house to house singing deusi and bhailo songs, collecting small coins and festive snacks in exchange for good wishes.

Rituals for siblings

The festival concludes with Bhai Tika, a day dedicated to siblings. Sisters prepare a protective circle around their brothers using holy water and blessed oil, then present them with long-lasting garlands woven from purple globe amaranth flowers. They place seven-coloured marks on each brother's forehead to pray for safety and long life, and the brothers return the blessing. The day ends with mutual gift-giving, where brothers offer clothes or money and sisters serve homemade treats like fried sel roti bread and fresh fruit, followed by the brother bowing to his sister's feet.

Other traditions

Communities across Nepal mark the fourth day with ceremonies tailored to their own traditions. Many worship working oxen, while others honour the sacred Govardhan Hill. Among the Newar people, the fourth day marks the start of the Nepal Sambat calendar and features Mha Puja, a ritual of worship directed at one's own inner soul. Across the week, adults gather to play card games or kauda, a traditional game played with cowrie shells. Families take part in three days of national holiday, sharing food and lighting up their neighbourhoods together.

How Tihar is kept

Tihar unfolds in sequence across five days. It opens with feeding rooftop crows, followed on the second day by garlanding and feeding dogs. On the third day, worshippers honour cows in the morning and light clay lamps for goddess Lakshmi at dusk, while children sing door to door. Day four brings the veneration of oxen or the self, alongside cowrie-shell games and community gatherings. The celebration closes with Bhai Tika, where sisters mark their brothers' foreheads with multicoloured paste, place flower garlands around their necks, and exchange gifts and festival foods.

When and where

Tihar takes place every autumn across five days in the lunar month of Kartika, starting on the thirteenth day of the waning moon and ending on the second day of the waxing moon. In the solar calendar, this usually falls in October or November.

The festival is celebrated across Nepal and in parts of India, including Sikkim and Darjeeling. Nepalese diaspora communities also maintain the tradition in Myanmar and other countries worldwide.

What Tihar means

Tihar reflects a worldview where humans, animals, nature, and the divine live in balance. By offering food to crows and dogs, worshippers appease Yama, the lord of death, and thank domestic animals for their service. The festival of lamps removes dark misfortune to welcome prosperity, while the final day's rituals use unfading flowers and oil barriers to pray for the longevity and health of siblings.

On the table

• Sel roti
• Sweets
• Fruits

Tihar dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

Questions people ask about Tihar

See also

DiwaliA five-day festival of lights celebrated across India and its diaspora to mark the victory of light over darkness.NowruzThe Iranian new year at the March equinox, kept with fire, greenery and picnicsHoliA spring festival of colours and bonfires that marks the end of winter and the triumph of good over evil.VesakA day to honor the birth, awakening, and passing of the Buddha, kept by Buddhists across Asia.

Good reading and sources

• Did you know there is a dog puja festival in Nepal on Choti Diwali day?The Indian Express, Article
• Did you know there is a dog puja festival in Nepal on Choti Diwali day?The Indian Express, Article

• Tihar (festival) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.