The festival of Tihar, also known as Yam Panchak, is being observed with great enthusiasm and devotion across the country today, with the celebration of Bhai Tika marking its concluding and most cherished day.
On this sacred occasion, sisters apply a seven-colored tika on their brothers’ foreheads, offering prayers for their health, happiness, and long life. In return, brothers present gifts and tokens of love, expressing gratitude and wishing their sisters prosperity and protection.
According to the Nepal Panchang Nirnayak Bikash Samiti (Calendar Determination Development Committee), Bhai Tika is celebrated on the Shukla Dwitiya of Kartik, which this year falls on the sixth day of the festival instead of the usual fifth, due to calendar alignment.
Committee member Prof. Dr. Devmani Bhattarai, a scholar of Vedic astrology, said that worshipping and honoring sisters on this day is believed to bring everlasting fortune and familial harmony. The committee has recommended the Abhijit Muhurat at 11:39 a.m. as the most auspicious time for applying tika.
Traditionally, sisters face east while applying tika, and brothers face west, aligning the ritual with the Moon’s position in the Libra zodiac. Scriptures prescribe that the Moon should be positioned to the right or ahead during auspicious ceremonies.
For those without siblings, the Balgopaleshwar Temple situated in Rani Pokhari, Kathmandu, opens its doors only once a year on Bhai Tika day. Individuals without brothers or sisters visit the temple to receive tika, worship Lord Balgopaleshwar, and seek blessings for family and spiritual wellbeing.
Tihar, the festival of lights, spans five days and honors humans, animals, and deities - from crows, dogs, and cows to the goddess Laxmi. The celebration illuminates homes, streets, and hearts across the nation, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and love over separation.
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