With the celebration of Bhai Tika, the five-day Tihar festival of Nepal concluded on Sunday. Bhai Tika is the final and major day of the Tihar festival, on which sisters offer seven tika colours to their brothers, wishing them happiness, long lives, and prosperity. To observe the Bhaitika, the brothers are seated at a specially anointed place around which a trail of mustard oil is drawn. The sisters then offer the brothers seven colours of tika and garlands of makhamali flowers. After placing colourful tika on the foreheads of their brothers, sisters offer them a treat consisting of varieties of sweets, walnuts, spices and Sel roti. Brothers also offer their sisters tika in return, wishing them happiness and good luck, and give them presents. The Balgopaleshwor Temple in Ranipokhari was open for the Bhaitika celebration on Sunday. The temple is open only once in a year where people who do not have brothers or sisters can offer and receive tika in the Ranipokhari.

 

Meanwhile, women in Terai are celebrating Bhaiyaduj festival today, wishing their brothers a long life. Bhaiduj is celebrated on the 5th day of Tihar; this festival is also called Bharditiya and Bhatriditiya in Mithila. During the Tihar celebration in Nepal, close association with Nature is celebrated, like worshipping Birds and animals such as ravens, dogs, cows and oxen.