When Is Tihar 2026? — Nepal’s Festival of Lights Dates, Traditions and Foods Explained

When Is Tihar Celebrated in Nepal? — Dates, Traditions and Festival Foods Explained - MasalaMart

What Is Tihar?

Tihar (तिहार) — also known as Deepawali or Diwali in India — is Nepal’s second most important festival after Dashain. It is a five-day festival of lights, colour, and worship that celebrates the bonds between humans and the animals and deities that share their world. Each of the five days has its own ritual focus, its own deity or creature to honour, and its own specific food traditions.

For Nepali families in the UK, Tihar arrives approximately three weeks after Dashain — extending the festival season well into autumn. The combination of Dashain and Tihar means that October and November are Nepal’s most festive months, and for UK Nepali families, the most intensely felt period of cultural and family life.

All Tihar food and festival ingredients are available at MasalaMart for UK delivery.

When Is Tihar Celebrated?

Tihar falls in the Nepali month of Kartik — October or November in the Gregorian calendar. In 2026, Tihar runs from 18–22 November, with each day dedicated to a specific ritual:

Day 1 — Kaag Tihar (18 November 2026): Worship of the crow — crows are fed sweets and rice early in the morning before the household eats
Day 2 — Kukur Tihar (19 November 2026): Worship of the dog — dogs are garlanded with marigolds, given tika, and fed special food. One of the most distinctive and beloved days of Tihar.
Day 3 — Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja (20 November 2026): Worship of the cow in the morning; in the evening, Laxmi — the goddess of wealth and prosperity — is welcomed into homes with oil lamps, rangoli, and lit doorways. The most visually spectacular evening of Tihar.
Day 4 — Govardhan Puja / Mha Puja (21 November 2026): Worship of the ox; in Newari tradition, Mha Puja — worship of the self — is performed on this day, the Newari New Year
Day 5 — Bhai Tika (22 November 2026): The most important day for family — the ceremony in which sisters bless their brothers with tika and an elaborate ritual spread. Brothers give gifts to their sisters in return.

The Five Days of Tihar — What Happens and Why

Kaag Tihar — Honouring the Crow

The festival begins with the crow — the messenger of Yama, the god of death. By honouring the crow, Nepali families symbolically ask for protection from death and misfortune in the coming year. Crows are fed rice, bread, and sweets on the roof or doorstep before sunrise. No one in the household eats until the crows have been fed.

Kukur Tihar — The Day Dogs Are Kings

Kukur Tihar is the day that has captured global attention in recent years — photographs of garlanded, tika-wearing, thoroughly pleased-looking dogs going viral every November. On this day, every dog — pet or stray — is garlanded with marigold flowers, given a tika on the forehead, and offered a special meal of egg, meat, and milk.

The theological basis is that dogs are the companions of Bhairab (a fierce form of Shiva) and the guards of the afterlife. Honouring them brings protection. The practical reality is that Kukur Tihar is one of the most joyful days of the Nepali calendar — the sight of dogs wearing marigold garlands and receiving blessings is genuinely delightful, and the day has become one of Nepal’s most internationally recognised cultural moments.

Laxmi Puja — The Night of Lights

The third evening — Laxmi Puja — is the visual peak of Tihar. Homes are lit with hundreds of oil lamps (diyo) and candles along every windowsill, doorstep, and roofline. Rangoli — intricate patterns made from coloured powder, rice flour, and flower petals — decorates every entrance. The goddess Laxmi is believed to visit homes that are lit and clean, bringing prosperity for the coming year.

In Nepal, Laxmi Puja night transforms cities and villages entirely. Every building is outlined in light. The collective effect — thousands of lit homes in the darkness — is genuinely breathtaking. For Nepali families in the UK, diyo lamps in windows and rangoli at the door maintain this tradition in a British context.

Bhai Tika — The Heart of Tihar

Bhai Tika is the emotional centre of Tihar — the day when sisters perform a long, elaborate puja for their brothers, placing a multi-coloured tika (made from seven colours including oil, yoghurt, and flower petals) on their foreheads, garlanding them with marigolds, and performing rituals that ask for their brothers’ long life and protection from death.

The Bhai Tika spread — the food prepared by the sister for her brother — is a central ritual element. It always includes:

Sel Roti: The crispy Nepali rice ring doughnut, freshly made that morning
Chiura: Beaten rice
Dahi: Fresh yoghurt
Various sweets and mithai: Barfi, ladoo, and other Indian and Nepali sweets
Fruits: A seasonal selection
Achar: One or more pickles

Brothers give gifts to their sisters in return — typically money, clothes, or jewellery. The exchange of blessing and gift between siblings is the most tender and significant ritual of the Tihar calendar.

For Nepali families in the UK where siblings may be in different cities or even different countries, Bhai Tika is the occasion that motivates travel. Sisters visit brothers, brothers visit sisters. Where travel is impossible, video calls are made at the time of the tika — the ceremony performed at a distance, tika applied to a photograph on the phone screen.

Tihar Foods — What Is Eaten During the Festival

Beyond the Bhai Tika spread, Tihar is associated with several specific foods:

Sel Roti: Made in large batches throughout Tihar — distributed to neighbours and guests as well as prepared for Bhai Tika
Kheer (rice pudding): Offered to Laxmi on the third night and eaten as a household sweet
Mithai: Indian and Nepali sweets — barfi, ladoo, and halwa — given as gifts and served to visitors
Momo: Often made during Tihar gatherings for the same reasons as any Nepali family celebration

Tihar in the UK — The Festival Continues

For Nepali families across the UK, Tihar is celebrated with the same rituals as in Nepal. Diyo lamps in windows, marigold garlands for the family dog, Sel Roti made from rice flour and cardamom, and Bhai Tika ceremonies performed with the full traditional spread — all maintained in British homes, in British weather, with ingredients sourced specifically for the occasion.

At MasalaMart, we stock the full range of Tihar essentials — rice flour and ghee for Sel Roti, yoghurt for tika, chiura, mithai ingredients, and all Nepali pantry items — delivered across the UK with free delivery on orders over £50.

Shop Tihar Ingredients at MasalaMart →