Kathmandu: The Nepal Calendar Determination Development Committee has officially designated 11:37 a.m. on November 3 as the auspicious time for celebrating Bhaitika, one of the key rituals of the Tihar festival.

The announcement came following a meeting of the committee today, as confirmed by Executive Director Surya Prasad Dhungel. Bhaitika is a day when sisters bless their brothers with protective tikas, and families gather to celebrate bonds and exchange blessings for good health and prosperity.

This year, the committee has also aligned the timing for Kija Puja, a significant ritual for the Newar community, with Bhaitika. Both celebrations will take place on the same day, November 3, reinforcing unity in the festival’s celebrations among different communities in Nepal.

The Tihar festival, widely regarded as Nepal's second-largest Hindu festival after Dashain, will begin on October 29. The festival opens with Dhantrayodashi, or Dhanteras, observed on Tuesday, October 29, followed by Yamdeepdan on Wednesday, alongside Kag Tihar, which honors crows as divine messengers. Thursday marks the celebration of Kukur Tihar, which venerates dogs, alongside Lakshmi Puja, a worship ceremony dedicated to the goddess of wealth and prosperity.

The festivities continue with Gai Puja, Govardhan Puja, Bali Puja, Halitihar, Mhapuja, and Nepal Sambat 1145 on Saturday, celebrating New Year according to the traditional Newar calendar. Following Tihar, the Chhath festival will be observed on Thursday, November 7, concluding the season of festivals.

This sequence of observances encapsulates Nepali culture’s deep respect for family, the natural world, and divine forces, making Tihar a time of vibrant tradition, unity, and spiritual reflection across communities.