Bhai Tika today, 11: 39 am auspicious hour
The most important day of Tihar, the festival of lights, is being marked today with sisters offering 'tika' to their brothers.
Sisters throughout the country offer 'tika' to their brothers wishing them happiness, long life and prosperity on the occasion of Bhai Tika. In return, the brothers pledged to protect their sisters from all kinds of adversities.
The auspicious hour for offering the 'tika' is 11:39 am this year.
It, however, can be held until sunset. On this day, brothers are seated at a specially anointed place around which a trail of mustard oil is drawn.
The sisters then offer the brothers 'tika' and garlands of 'Dubo' and 'Makhamali'. After placing colorful 'tika' on the foreheads of their brothers, sisters offer them a treat consisting of varieties of sweets, walnut, spices and 'Sel', a special kind of bread cooked in oil.
Brothers also offer their sisters 'tika' in return, wish them happiness and good luck, and give them presents.
The occasion commemorates a legendary event in which a sister has won a boon from 'Yama', the deity of death that her brother would not die until the mustard oil is dried up and the garland of 'Dubo' and 'Makhamali' faded.
The Bhaitika tradition is so strong in Nepali society that even those who have no brothers or sisters of their own receive tika from others whom they regard as brothers and sisters.
11:39 am auspicious hour for Bhai Tika
The Nepal Calendar Determination Committee has announced the auspicious hour for observing this year's ritualistic Tihar 'tika'.
According to Committee Chair, Professor Shambhu Prasad Dhakal, the auspicious hour for Tihar Tika, also known as Bhaitika, has been set for 11:39 am on Thursday, October 23.
It is a traditional practice for brothers and sisters to exchange 'tika' on this occasion.
Committee member Professor Devmani Paudel noted that there are no strict astrological restrictions preventing people from receiving Tika in the afternoon. However, it is recommended that state dignitaries observe the ritual at the auspicious time.
This year’s Tihar festival, also known as Yama Panchak, will commence on Saturday, October 18.
The Kag Tihar (Crow Festival) and Dhanwantari Day will both be observed on Sunday, October 19.
On the morning of Monday, October 20, Kukur Tihar (Dog Festival) will be celebrated.
In the evening, Laxmi Puja is observed by worshipping the Hindu goddess of wealth, Laxmi along with the celebration of Deepawali festival.
The worship of cows, oxen, and the self will be observed on Wednesday, October 22.
The ritual of self-worship, known as Mha Puja, is an important tradition of the Newar community.
Three calendars endorsed by the Committee have also been published by calendar makers Siddhi Laxmi Byanjakar, Kirti Kiran Joshi, and Shashidhar Joshi. All three confirm that October 22 is for the Mha Puja.
The Committee also states that October 22 also marks the beginning of Nepal Sambat 1146, the New Year according to the Nepal Sambat calendar.
Kija Puja, also known as Bhai Puja or the worship of brothers, the customary in the Newar community, will be observed on Thursday, October 23.
The Committee also states that October 22 marks the beginning of Nepal Sambat 1146, the New Year according to the Nepal Sambat calendar.
Kija Puja, or Bhai Puja (the worship of brothers), the tradition in the Newar community will also be observed on Thursday, October 23.
President receives 'tika' from sisters
President Ramchandra Paudel received the Tihar 'tika' from his sisters Sharada Pandit and Chanda Ojha at the auspicious hour of 11.37 am at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Shital Niwas, on the occasion of Bhaitika festival today.
On the occasion, the President's sisters put the ceremonial 'tika' on the forehead of the President and presented to him gifts including walnut and groundnut. Similarly, the President put 'tika' on the forehead of his sisters and offered them with money, as per the time-honoured tradition.
The ceremonial 'tika' comprises of blob of seven colours marked on a vertical thick line of white paste of rice flour on the forehead.
The Nepal Calendar Determination Committee had fixed 11.37 am today as the most auspicious time for the Bhaitika rituals.
However, the Committee has stated that the rituals can be conducted throughout the day today.
There is a custom of the sisters putting 'tika' on the foreheads of their brothers and vice-versa on Bhai Tika, the last and main day of the five-day-long Yamapanchak or the Tihar festival, the second biggest festival of Nepal.
11:37 am auspicious hour for Bhai Tika today
The most important day of Tihar, the five-day festival of lights, is being observed today. Sisters throughout the country offer tika to their brothers wishing them happiness, long life and prosperity on the occasion of Bhai Tika.
The auspicious hour for offering the tika is 11:37 am for this year's Bhai Tika. However, it can take place until sunset, says Chairperson of National Calendar Determination Committee, Prof Shree Krishna Adhikari.
On this day, brothers are seated at a specially anointed place around which a trail of mustard oil is drawn. The sisters then offer the brothers tika and garlands of 'dubo' and 'makhamali'. After placing colorful tika on the foreheads of their brothers, sisters offer them a treat consisting of varieties of sweets, walnut, spices and 'Sel', a special kind of bread cooked in oil.
Brothers also offer their sisters tika in return, wishing them happiness and good luck, and give them presents.
The occasion commemorates a legendary event in which a sister has won a boon from "Yama", the deity of death that her brother would not die until the mustard oil is dried up and the garland of 'dubo' and 'makhamali' faded.
The Bhai Tika tradition is so strong in Nepali society that even those who have no brothers or sisters of their own receive tika from others whom they regard as brothers and sisters.
11:37 am auspicious hour for Bhai Tika
The Nepal Calendar Determination Development Committee has announced the auspicious hour for this year's Bhaitika.
Executive Director of the Committee Surya Prasad Dhungel said that the auspicious time for Bhai Tika is 11:37 am, Sunday.
The committee said that the Kija Puja observed by the Newar community will also be celebrated on the same day.
This year's Tihar, the second biggest festival of Nepali Hindus, is starting from Tuesday.
Dhantrayodashi (Dhanteras) festival is celebrated on Tuesday while Yamdeepdan falls on Wednesday. Kag Tihar will also be celebrated on Wednesday itself.
Kukur Tihar and Lakshmi Puja will be celebrated on Thursday.
Gai Puja, Govardhan Puja, Bali Puja, Halitihar, Mhapuja and Nepal Sambat 1145 fall on Saturday.
Similarly, the committee also informed that the Chhath festival falls on Thursday.
10: 51 am auspicious time for Bhai Tika
The Nepal Calendar Determination Committee has announced 10: 51 am as the auspicious time for receiving and offering Bhai Tika of Tihar festival.
Surya Prasad Dhungel, Executive Director of the Committee, made public the time by issuing a statement on Monday.
This year's Kag Tihar, the festival of crow, falls on November 11 and the Laxmi Puja (worship of Hindu Goddess Laxmi), one of the major celebrations of the Tihar festival, falls on November 12.
The Gai Puja falls on November 13. Cows are worshiped with Hindu rituals on this day. We are observing the Solar eclipse same day, according to him.
Gobardhan Puja falls on November 14. Oxen are worshiped on this day. The Newar community will celebrate the Mha Puja (worship of the self) on the same day.
The tika for this year's Tihar festival will be observed on November 15 and sisters and brothers exchange the Saptarangi tika (seven-coloured tika) on the occasion. Sisters put tika on their brothers wishing for their wellbeing and longevity and offer them special Tihar delicacies as well. In return brothers also give the Tika and gifts to their sisters. The Newar community will celebrate the Kija Puja (Bhai Tika) the same day.
