Today marks the most important day of Tihar, Nepal’s five-day festival of lights, with the celebration of Bhaitika. Across the country, sisters are honoring their brothers by offering them tika as a symbol of love and wishing for their happiness, long life, and prosperity.
The auspicious time for Bhaitika this year is set at 11:37 am, but the ritual can be conducted until sunset, according to Prof. Shree Krishna Adhikari, Chairperson of the National Calendar Determination Committee. During the ceremony, brothers sit in a special area marked with a trail of mustard oil—a traditional symbol of protection. Sisters place a colorful tika on their brothers’ foreheads and adorn them with garlands made of dubo (green grass) and makhamali (globe amaranth flowers).
After the tika ceremony, sisters offer their brothers a feast, including sweets, walnuts, various spices, and Sel, a special bread fried in oil. In return, brothers also place tika on their sisters, expressing their love and best wishes while presenting them with gifts.
The Bhaitika tradition has deep roots in Nepali culture, inspired by a legend in which a sister received a boon from Yama, the deity of death, ensuring her brother’s life until the mustard oil dried up and the dubo and makhamali garlands faded. This tradition is so cherished that even those without biological siblings receive tika from others they regard as family, highlighting the strength of the bond between brothers and sisters in Nepali society.
Source: RSS
