KATHMANDU, Nov 3: With the celebration of Bhai Tika, the five-day Tihar festival concluded on Sunday.
Bhai Tika is the final and major day of the Tihar festival. Sisters offer tika to their brothers wishing them happiness, long life and prosperity during this festival.
The auspicious hour for offering the tika was 11:37 am for this year's Bhai Tika.
Rainfall likely on the day of Bhai Tika
To observe the Bhai Tika, 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.
Even those who have no brothers or sisters of their own received tika from others whom they regard as brothers and sisters.
The Bal Gopaleshwor Temple in Ranipokhari was open for the Bhai Tika celebration on Sunday. The temple is open only once in a year.
During the festival of lights, color and flowers even the birds and animals- crow, dog and ox- were worshiped. Another significant day of the festival, Laxmipuja was also celebrated with fanfare across the country.
