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Festivals can be demanding and Tihar is one that puts extra pressure on us to clean, host, and participate in rituals. There is a lot to do and sometimes not enough hands to get it all done. This is probably one reason why Tihar celebrations begin much before the actual event. Families have time to host guests and then move on to the heavier stuff of cleaning and pujas if they start celebrating a week or even two in advance. But does that mean the week-long festivities have to be a whirlwind of chores? It can be a fun affair with family, friends, and your community if you are up to trying something different this year. We can assure you that it will take the tension off Tihar.

Host a community lunch/dinner

In the week leading up to Tihar, which is this very week, try to get your neighbors and community together by suggesting a pot luck lunch or dinner to usher in the festivities. It will be a great way to kickstart a wonderful few days of celebrations and you will also put an end to the need to entertain people separately. It’s a great way to come together and bond as well while reducing unnecessary pressure.

Consider shared rangoli and decor

In the same vein as above, how does your community feel about coming together to decorate your neighborhood? Instead of installing individual lights and decor, you could all pitch in to deck up your lane and do so together. It will get the work done faster and make it more fun as well. Sometimes, all you need is for someone to suggest it to make it happen. And it actually feels a lot more festive than individually decorated homes.

Harness the flower power

One of the best things about Tihar is all the flower decorations we tend to do. But it’s also one of the most taxing. Instead of stringing flowers into garlands why not make use of vases and planters? Simply get sayapatri plants from your local nursery and transfer them into small pots and place these by your doorsteps. You can also get bunches of these flowers from different street vendors and display them interestingly in large vases peppered around the house.

Use urns and candlestands

Most of us light diyos or oil lamps during Tihar. This requires a lot of pre planning as well as post use clean up that takes up a lot of time. Use urns to light floating candles and make use of whatever candlestands you have lying around the house to create a visually interesting display of light. These are easy to set up and put away as well. You can also make use of old bottles in place of candlestands. Vases can also be turned upside down to create interesting candle displays.

Make it a family affair

Oftentimes, we tend to break up household chores among family members and go about our separate ways but there’s a lot of fun to be had if we do things as a group. Put on some good music and get cleaning and organizing together as a family. Turn chores into a game. See who can finish something faster and do it better. Have a small prize ready. You will get things done faster and it will not feel like work either. It also helps if you have a cut off time. Fix a time by which you must finish the work or take small tea or game breaks in between. 

As the festival season approaches, homes light up with joy, traditions, and the promise of togetherness. For many, it’s a time of warmth, blessings, and celebration. But behind the bright decorations and hearty feasts, a quieter reality exists—one of exhaustion, financial pressure, and emotional strain.

ApEx spoke to three men from different generations to understand how they experience festivals—not just the joy, but also the stress that comes with them. Their reflections show us how mental health is not only essential but felt differently depending on age, responsibility, and experiences.

Alish Pradhananga

Mental health is important because if someone is troubled then he/she can’t be happy. It’s even more stressful for those who have a lot of cultural norms and rules to follow and feel pressured to gather everyone for a feast. There’s pressure to look good, meet people, and be involved in everything. 

I enjoy the food and fun but I can see how much pressure my parents face. They do so much, and I think we should help them more. To tackle stress during festivals, my siblings and I mostly go trekking or hiking. I think that makes our parents more stressed. I feel we should help out more at home but we also need breaks.

Bimal Shah Thakuri​​​​​​​

Mental health is one of the important aspects to focus on. With work, family, and responsibilities, if your mind isn’t in a good place, everything else starts falling apart. Festivals can be stressful and we have to make time for ourselves. Between cleaning, shopping, cooking, and making sure everything is perfect, I hardly get time to enjoy the moment. I realize now that my parents used to hide a lot of the stress just to make us happy. It makes me appreciate their efforts more. Planning ahead, delegating tasks, and not aiming for perfection every time may help with overcoming the stress during festivals. Also, it’s okay to take small breaks and it’s also okay if everything isn’t flawless.

Ram Krishna Lohala

When we were young, we didn’t talk much about mental health, but now I understand how crucial it is, especially in old age when loneliness and overthinking can become serious issues. I mostly enjoy meeting family during festivals. Though it can get tiring, the happiness of everyone around keeps me going. 

Before it was tough to manage clothes for the family, I have seen the struggle of my parents too. Now, my son looks after us but the struggle is even more different. They need to buy clothes, maintain relationships with everyone, and take care of us. So, I think they are stressed but they rarely share things with us. I want them to share what they are going through, to keep things simple and focus on their well being too.

Wondering what to watch this weekend? You’re not alone. We, at ApEx, are guilty of taking more time to search for a movie than actually watching a movie. Which is why we thought we should spare you the trouble and recommend some movies that have recently been uploaded on Netflix that we think you might enjoy. We definitely did.

Mahavatar Narsimha

This action, animation film is based on the religious story of Hiranyakashyap, a demon who challenges Lord Vishnu, and thinks of himself as the ultimate god. He has been granted a boon by Lord Brahma  that ensures he will never die. Hiranyakashyap’s son Prahlad, on the other hand, is a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu and for this reason, Hiranyakashyap tries to kill him multiple times but each time Lord Vishnu saves him. The movie culminates in a battle between Hiranyakashyap and Lord Vishnu where the former ultimately meets his end. Most of us are familiar with the story but that does not take away from the joy of watching it come alive.

Dhadhak 2

We have to confess that we didn’t particularly enjoy Dhadhak, starring Jahnvi Kapoor and Ishan Khattar. But Dhadhak 2 with Siddhant Chaturvedi and Trimpti Dhimri was a different matter altogether. It’s a great commentary on the caste system and its challenges. Nilesh and Vidhi are in love but the society isn’t having any of it. Nilesh gets bullied, beaten, and threatened. The police are also brutal and they even misbehave with his family. It’s sad and heartbreaking but it’s also an important film to watch. All the actors have really given their best and the result is a believable story that stays with you long after you have watched it.

Inspector Zende

This comedy, crime thriller starring Manoj Bajpayee might be something you want to put on in the background if you don’t want to be too involved in the story but still want to watch something fun and light. A criminal flees from jail and inspector Zende is tasked with catching him and putting him back in prison. It’s based on the real life story of Madhukar Zende who became known as ‘supercop’ after he arrested the notorious ‘Bikini Killer’ Charles Sobhraj not once but twice. It’s entertaining while it lasts though we felt the plot went slightly haywire at times. 

Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve is Nepal’s only game sanctuary. Established in 1983, it spans 1,325 sq km, touching the districts of Baglung, Rukum, and Myagdi. I had been hearing about the untamed beauty of Dhorpatan since childhood and always longed to see it. But as I grew older, adult responsibilities, jobs, and family commitments pushed that wish aside for years.

I believe that anyone who has heard of Dhorpatan feels its pull, the desire to experience its raw, untouched beauty. So, I finally ventured into this hidden paradise of Nepal that many have heard of but few have truly explored. I was joined by a group of acquaintances, for adventures are best when shared.

We gathered at the New Bus Park in Gongabu at 3:30 pm to begin our 400 km overnight journey from Kathmandu. My long-cherished dream to see Dhorpatan—a land of vast grasslands, dense forests, rivers, and timeless mountains—was finally taking shape. As we left behind the bustle of Kathmandu, the cityscape gradually gave way to lush hills and serene valleys.

The bus stopped at Naubise for tea and later at Damauli for dinner. The Prithvi Highway up to Muglin was in miserable condition, but beyond that, the road improved, carrying us smoothly toward Pokhara. Fatigue soon took over, and I fell asleep scrolling through Facebook.

When I opened my eyes, it was around 7 am, and we had already reached Burtibang, the second-largest commercial center in Baglung district. Since we hadn’t eaten dinner the night before, we decided to have breakfast before continuing our journey to Dhorpatan.

At around 9 am, the jeep we had booked from Kathmandu arrived. The driver told us it would take roughly three hours to reach Dhorpatan from Burtibang. We drove along the river, passing cascading waterfalls and small hamlets. The road, however, was rough and poorly maintained. With rain adding to the challenge, the drive became an exhilarating adventure.

When we finally entered Dhorpatan, a thick fog blanketed the valley, concealing everything in sight. But as the mist began to lift, the view before us was simply breathtaking. Wide grasslands dotted with wildflowers, canals glinting in the sunlight, crystal-clear rivers winding through meadows, herds of grazing horses, and lush forests. It felt like another world.

‘Dhor’ means marshland, and ‘Patan’ means flat meadow. These meadows are home to blue sheep, Himalayan tahr, and other wildlife. After checking into our hotel and having lunch, we rested for a while and spoke with the owner about places to explore in the valley.

Following his suggestion, we set out for a place called Kang to see a wooden bridge that had recently become quite popular. A 45-minute jeep ride followed by a 20-minute walk brought us to an enchanting spot. There were rolling hillocks blanketed with wildflowers of every imaginable color, the turquoise Uttarganga River flowed gently below, and we could see a backdrop of verdant hills. The sheer beauty left us speechless. We spent hours taking photos and videos, hoping to capture even a fraction of what we felt.

After feasting our eyes on nature’s splendor, we went in search of more vibrant wildflowers and later set up a tent by the river to enjoy the scene until dusk. We returned to the hotel afterward, had dinner, and went to bed early.

The next morning, we woke up late, as the hotel owner had told us that our next stop, Bukipatan, could be reached in five to six hours of trek. After breakfast, we began our journey at around 10 am. The trail was scenic and gentle from the start, leading us through lush forests and along a lively river. There was only one teahouse along the way, where we stopped for tea and noodles.

Suddenly, it began to rain. We put on our raincoats and continued toward Thade Khola. Since we had enough time, we paused often to enjoy the views and document the journey through photos and videos.

We reached Bukipatan around 3 pm. As it was raining heavily, we spent the evening playing games inside a large tent that sheltered about 25 people that night. Dinner was served around 11 pm, after which we went to sleep to the sound of rain drumming on the tent.

At dawn, we began our hike, guided by the soft glow of headlamps. When we reached Tikadhar, the sun was just rising, painting the sky in shades of pink, orange, and gold. The sight was surreal, dreamlike, and unforgettable.

The weather favored us that day, offering clear views of the stunning landscape. We spent a couple of hours soaking in the serenity, surrounded by wildflowers and whispering wind. As fog slowly enveloped the valley and the air turned cold, we descended back to Bukipatan for breakfast before returning to Dhorpatan. Two of our friends boarded a night bus to Kathmandu, while the remaining four of us took a jeep to Pokhara, grateful to have finally lived the dream of Dhorpatan.