Festival of Light

Tihar (Nepali: तिहार), also known as Deepawali and Yamapanchak or Swanti (Newar: स्वन्ती:), is a five-day Hindu festival celebrated in Nepal and Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal, particularly the towns of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, which host a large number of ethnic Nepali people. Tihar is analogous to the Indian festival of Diwali, the festival of lights, but with some significant differences. Like with Diwali, Tihar is marked by lighting diyas inside and outside the home but unlike the Indian festival, the five days of Tihar include celebration and worship of the four creatures associated with the Hindu god of death Yama, with the final day reserved for people themselves.[1] According to the Vikram Samvat calendar, the festival begins with Kaag (crow) Tihar on Trayodashi of Kartik Krishna Paksha (the 13th day of the waning moon) and ends with Bhai (brother) Tika on Dwitiya of Kartik Sukla Paksha every year.[2] In the Gregorian calendar, the festival falls sometime between October and November every year. In the year 2021, Tihar begins on 3 November 2021 and ends on 21 November 2021.[3]