Bhai Tika
भाइटीका
November 11, 2026 · Kartik 25, 2083 BS
Nationwide
Plan a trip around Bhai TikaHistory & origin
Reenacts the legend of Yama, god of death, and his sister Yamuna (Yamuna the river goddess), who marked her brother's forehead with a protective tika and secured from him a boon: that any brother who receives his sister's tika on this day would be protected from death that year.
How it’s celebrated
Sisters perform a puja for their brothers involving a distinctive seven-color tika, a garland of makhamali (globe amaranth) flowers that famously never wilts, and a ring of mustard oil said to ward off evil, followed by a shared feast; brothers give gifts or money in return and pledge to protect their sisters. Those without siblings often perform the ritual with close friends or cousins instead.
Tips for visitors
A warm, family-centered close to the festival — if invited into a Nepali home during Tihar, Bhai Tika is often the most personal and moving ritual to witness.
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