Tihar is supposed to be a festival of unity, love and bonding with family and friends. But for some this festival is not as shiny as it once used to be. They miss a special person on the most cherished day of the festival: bhai tika.With many Nepalis now choosing to work and live abroad, many brothers are left with empty foreheads, or have to make do by receiving tika from their nearest cousins. Likewise, countless sis­ters bitterly miss their brothers who have gone overseas.

“Not having my sisters on such an auspi­cious occasion is a really sad experience,” says Rajesh Mishra, 44. “I do not celebrate bhai tika when my sisters are not around.” Mishra recalls previous bhai tikas with his two sisters, both of whom are now in Aus­tralia. “Those were such joyous occasions,” he muses.

Dikshant Shakya, 18, speaks of how the Newari community marks this auspicious day. “Brothers get velvet garlands and delicacies from their sisters, who make these things themselves,” he says. His elder sister has been living in Bangalore for the past six years and they have been unable to meet during Tihar for the past three years. Shakya also states how, due to the social media, “the sense of missing out on something important is heightened”.

Arun Bhatta, 18, who is currently pursuing his undergraduate degree in Hong Kong, recognizes the festi­val as having special significance. “The festival is something that I think every Nepali brother looks forward to and it’s very disheartening to miss out”. Bhatta has thus far been unable to find a suitable sister in Hong Kong from whom to receive bhai tika.

Thankfully, technology is a two-way street. While Facebook posts of friends may heighten the sense of loss, internet calling applications like Viber and Face­book Messenger also make it much easier for brothers and sisters to connect. Says Paribesh Bidari, 22, whose sister lives in the US: “We communicate via messenger during bhai tika. It has been very helpful in this regard.”

But there really is no replacement for the presence of your brother or sister in flesh-and-blood, is there?