Introduction
Tihar is Nepal’s festival of lights — five days of celebration, worship, feasting, and gifting across late October and early November. For Nepali families in the UK, preparing for Tihar means sourcing specific ingredients, puja items, and sweets that are not always easy to find in British supermarkets.
This complete Tihar shopping list covers everything you need — from sel roti ingredients and feast groceries to diyas, incense, and gifting items — so you can celebrate authentically wherever you are in the UK.
Sel Roti Shopping List
Sel roti is the defining food of Tihar — made fresh and eaten throughout the five days. Make a large batch so you have enough for Laxmi Puja night and Bhai Tika.
- ☐ Fine rice flour — 500g–1kg (supermarket rice flour is often too coarse; specialist fine Asian rice flour gives the best result)
- ☐ Sugar — 150–200g per 500g flour
- ☐ Ghee — at least 250ml (for batter and frying)
- ☐ Cardamom powder — small jar
- ☐ Fennel seeds (saunf) — optional
- ☐ Ripe bananas — 1–2 (optional, for softness)
- ☐ Oil for deep frying (if not using ghee)
Sweets and Desserts Shopping List
For Halwa
- ☐ Semolina (suji) — 200–400g
- ☐ Ghee — included above
- ☐ Sugar — included above
- ☐ Raisins — small pack
- ☐ Cashews — small pack
- ☐ Cardamom powder — included above
For Kheer
- ☐ Basmati rice — 100–200g
- ☐ Full-fat milk — 2–3 litres
- ☐ Sugar — included above
- ☐ Saffron — small pinch (optional but traditional)
- ☐ Pistachios or almonds — small pack for garnish
Store-Bought Mithai (Sweets for Gifting and Guests)
- ☐ Barfi — milk-based fudge; cashew, coconut, or pistachio flavour
- ☐ Ladoo — besan or motichoor; traditional for all South Asian festivals
- ☐ Gulab Jamun — Gits ready-mix or ready-made; popular and crowd-pleasing
- ☐ Jalebi — crispy, syrup-soaked spirals; festival favourite
Bhai Tika Thaal Shopping List
The Bhai Tika ceremonial plate must be arranged before the tika ritual. Here is what you need:
- ☐ Sel roti — made fresh or from the previous days
- ☐ Chiura (beaten rice) — for the thaal
- ☐ Mixed nuts — cashews, walnuts, almonds
- ☐ Dried fruits — raisins, dates, dried apricots
- ☐ Fresh fruits — bananas, oranges, apples, grapes
- ☐ Sweets — barfi or ladoo
- ☐ Sindur (vermillion) — for tika
- ☐ Uncooked white rice — for tika
- ☐ Yoghurt (dahi) — for tika
- ☐ Flowers — marigolds if available; any fresh flowers if not
- ☐ Thread (seven-coloured) — for the ceremonial tika bracelet
Tihar Feast Groceries
Meat
- ☐ Goat or mutton — for khasi ko masu (Nepali goat curry); the most traditional Tihar meat
- ☐ Chicken — for families who prefer chicken curry
- ☐ Eggs — for egg curry or fried alongside the feast
Dal and Rice
- ☐ Basmati rice — 5kg for the full festival period
- ☐ Musuro dal (red lentils) — 1kg
- ☐ Moong dal — 500g
Vegetables
- ☐ Potatoes — 2kg (for aloo tarkari)
- ☐ Onions — 1kg
- ☐ Tomatoes — 500g
- ☐ Garlic — 2 bulbs
- ☐ Ginger — fresh root
- ☐ Green chillies — small pack
- ☐ Fresh coriander — 1–2 bunches
- ☐ Spinach or leafy greens — for saag
Spices and Condiments
- ☐ Turmeric, cumin seeds, coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam masala
- ☐ Timur — for momo achar and meat marinades; essential Nepali spice
- ☐ Mustard oil — 1 litre; for cooking and achar
- ☐ Sesame seeds — for tomato achar
Puja and Decoration Items
- ☐ Diyas (oil lamps) — terracotta or metal; enough to line every window and doorstep
- ☐ Mustard oil or ghee — for lighting diyas
- ☐ Cotton wicks — for diyas
- ☐ Candles — as backup or additional decoration
- ☐ Incense sticks (agarbatti) — for puja
- ☐ Flowers — marigolds are traditional; buy from an Asian grocer or Indian sweet shop
- ☐ Rangoli colours — for doorstep decoration welcoming Lakshmi
- ☐ Puja thali items — small plate, bell, incense holder
Gifting Checklist
Tihar is a time of gifting — sweets, dry fruits, and small gifts are exchanged between households:
- ☐ Boxes of mixed Indian mithai — for gifting to neighbours and extended family
- ☐ Sel roti — wrapped and gifted between households
- ☐ Dry fruit gift packs — cashews, almonds, pistachios, raisins
- ☐ Chiura packs — a uniquely Nepali gift
- ☐ Bhai Tika gifts — cash, clothing, or household items for brothers from sisters
Ordering Timeline: When to Buy
| When to Order | What to Buy |
|---|---|
| 2 weeks before Tihar | Dry goods: rice flour, dal, ghee, timur, mustard oil, chiura, spices |
| 1 week before | Mithai and gifting items; puja supplies; diyas and incense |
| 3–4 days before | Fresh produce: meat, vegetables, milk, yoghurt, coriander |
| Day before / Day of | Fresh flowers, sel roti ingredients if not yet bought |
Where to Buy Tihar Groceries in the UK
Many Tihar essentials — fine rice flour, timur, chiura, ghee, mustard oil, and Indian mithai — are not available in standard UK supermarkets. MasalaMart delivers authentic Nepali and South Asian groceries across the UK, including to cities with large Nepali communities such as London, Reading, Coventry, Birmingham, and Leeds.
Order early — delivery demand increases during festival season. Free delivery on orders over £50. Use code FESTIVAL10 for 10% off orders over £50.
Shop now at masalamart.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Tihar 2026?
Tihar 2026 falls across late October and early November. Laxmi Puja (Day 3) and Bhai Tika (Day 5) are the most important days. Check the Nepali calendar for exact dates.
Can I get Tihar items delivered in the UK?
Yes — MasalaMart delivers Nepali and South Asian groceries, spices, and festival essentials anywhere in the UK. Order at least a week in advance to ensure delivery before the festival.
What is the most important food for Tihar?
Sel roti is the most distinctly Tihar food — freshly made at home and shared between households. Halwa, kheer, and mithai are also central to the celebration, particularly on Laxmi Puja night and Bhai Tika.