KATHMANDU: Today marks the most significant day of Tihar, the festival of lights, which is celebrated with sisters offering tika to their brothers.
Across the nation, sisters apply tika to their brothers, wishing them happiness, longevity, and prosperity on this Bhaitika occasion.
This year, the auspicious time for the tika ceremony is set for 11:37 AM, though it may continue until sunset, as stated by Prof. Shree Krishna Adhikari, Chairman of the National Calendar Determination Committee.
On this day, brothers sit in a specially prepared area marked by a circle of mustard oil. Sisters then place tika and garlands made of ‘dubo’ and ‘makhamali’ around their brothers’ necks.
After adorning their brothers with colorful tika on their foreheads, sisters treat them to a variety of sweets, walnuts, spices, and ‘Sel’, a unique bread fried in oil.
In return, brothers also apply tika to their sisters, wishing them joy and good fortune, along with gifts.
This tradition is rooted in a legendary tale where a sister secured a promise from Yama, the god of death, that her brother would remain safe until the mustard oil was completely dry and the garlands of ‘dubo’ and ‘makhamali’ had withered.
The Bhaitika custom is so deeply ingrained in Nepali culture that even individuals without siblings receive tika from those they consider brothers and sisters.
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