Tihar 2026: Your Five-Day Guide to Nepal's Festival of Lights

Tihar 2026 is here, and tonight is the big one. This is your quick guide to the five days of Nepal's festival of lights: the dates, what happens each day, where to soak it in, and how to join without stepping on any toes.

If you woke up to marigold garlands on every doorway and a very pleased-looking dog down the lane, that's why. Tihar (also called Deepawali or Yamapanchak) honours crows, dogs, cows and oxen, the goddess Laxmi, and finally the bond between brothers and sisters. It's Nepal's version of Diwali, but with more animals and more singing in the streets.

Tihar 2026 dates at a glance

Tihar 2026 runs from Saturday 7 to Wednesday 11 November (Kartik 21–25, 2083 BS). Dates follow the lunar calendar, so the order matters more than the weekday.

• Sat 7 Nov – Kaag Tihar: crows, the messengers

• Sun 8 Nov – Kukur Tihar + Laxmi Puja: dogs by day, the goddess Laxmi by night

• Mon 9 Nov – Gai Tihar: cows

• Tue 10 Nov – Govardhan Puja / Goru Tihar / Mha Puja: oxen, Govardhan hill, and the self (Newar New Year)

• Wed 11 Nov – Bhai Tika: brothers and sisters

Today: Kukur Tihar and Laxmi Puja

Sunday starts with the dogs. Every dog in Nepal gets its moment: a red tika on the forehead, a marigold garland around the neck, and a proper meal. That includes street dogs, which is why you'll see neighbours stopping strays with a plate of rice and a smile. Dogs are seen as loyal guardians and companions of Yama, the god of death.

By evening the mood shifts to Laxmi, the goddess of wealth. Families clean their homes top to bottom, draw rangoli (colourful patterns) at the door, and paint a trail of red footprints leading inside to welcome her. After dark, every window, balcony and rooftop fills with diyo (clay oil lamps), candles and strings of lights.

For travellers, this is the night to be out walking. Shops do a small puja at dusk, and many keep the lights burning late.

Deusi and Bhailo: the doorstep concerts

From Laxmi Puja onward, groups of friends and neighbours go house to house singing. Bhailo is traditionally sung by girls and women, Deusi by boys and men, though mixed groups with a speaker and a drum are common now. Hosts answer with money, fruit or sel roti (a ring-shaped rice bread), and the group sings a blessing for the household in return.

Many groups collect for a cause, like a school or a local club. If a group stops at your guesthouse, stay and listen. A small contribution is welcome, and nobody minds if you clap along.

Mha Puja and Nepal Sambat New Year

Tuesday 10 November is a double celebration. Across Nepal, families honour oxen (Goru Tihar) and perform Govardhan Puja. In the Kathmandu Valley, Newar families mark Mha Puja, a ritual of worshipping one's own body and spirit, with a mandala drawn for each family member.

The same day is New Year in the Nepal Sambat calendar. Expect rallies, traditional music and dress on the streets of Kathmandu, Patan (Lalitpur) and Bhaktapur.

Bhai Tika 2026: the grand finale

Wednesday 11 November is Bhai Tika. Sisters walk circles around their brothers, drip oil and water in a protective line, and place a seven-coloured tika (saptarangi) on their foreheads. Brothers get a garland of makhamali (globe amaranth) flowers, which are said to last as long as the bond. Then come gifts both ways, and a lot of food.

The exact auspicious time (sait) is set each year by the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Samiti. Newar families observe Kija Puja, their own version of the brother-worship ritual, on the same day.

Expect quiet streets and closed shops that morning. Most people are at home with family.

Where to see Tihar in Nepal

Kathmandu Valley

The old cities glow brightest. Walk the lanes around Kathmandu Durbar Square and Asan, then cross to Patan (Lalitpur), where courtyards fill with lamps and rangoli. Bhaktapur's brick squares look their best by diyo light. For a view over it all, climb the steps to Swayambhunath at dusk on Laxmi Puja night.

Pokhara

Lakeside goes quieter and warmer. Watch homes along the backstreets light up, catch a Deusi group doing the rounds, and look for lamps reflected on Phewa Lake after dark.

Chitwan

In Tharu villages around Sauraha, Tihar blends with local tradition. If you're in a homestay, ask your hosts how they celebrate. You may be invited to help with the rangoli or the evening puja.

Tihar etiquette and travel tips

• Don't step on rangoli or the footprints. They're offerings to Laxmi. Walk around them.

• Ask before photographing a puja. Inside homes and temples, always ask first. A smile and a gesture to your camera works.

• Be gentle with the dogs. Garlanded dogs are honoured guests, not photo props. Let them eat in peace.

• Accept tika and sweets with your right hand. If offered prasad (blessed food), it's polite to take a little.

• Plan around closures. Government offices, banks and many shops close for the public holidays. Carry enough cash before Laxmi Puja.

• Book transport early. Buses and flights fill up as people head home to family. Expect busy highways before and after Bhai Tika.

• Mind the firecrackers. Kids set them off in narrow lanes, especially on Laxmi Puja night. Keep a little distance.

• Chhath is next. Tihar flows straight into Chhath, celebrated at rivers and ponds, especially in the Terai.

Light a diyo, then wander

Loku's tip: step outside around 7pm on Laxmi Puja night, pick any old lane, and just walk. The best Tihar moments aren't on a map. They're a doorway full of lamps, a grandmother handing you sel roti, a dog in a marigold crown.

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