When is Tihar in 2026 and 2027?
Tihar 2026 starts on Saturday 7 November, two days after we checked this page, and ends on Wednesday 11 November. Tihar 2027 comes earlier, with Laxmi Puja listed for Friday 29 October. The date follows the moon, so it moves each year.
| Day | 2026 | Source for 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaag Tihar | Saturday 7 November | Hamro Patro calendar | Not confirmed |
| Kukur Tihar | Sunday 8 November | Hamro Patro | Not confirmed |
| Laxmi Puja | Sunday 8 November | Hamro Patro | Friday 29 October (CalendarLabs, time.now) |
| Gai Puja | Monday 9 November | Hamro Patro | time.now lists Gai Tihar on 29 October |
| Govardhan Puja and Mha Puja | Tuesday 10 November | Hamro Patro | Saturday 30 October (CalendarLabs, time.now) |
| Bhai Tika | Wednesday 11 November | Hamro Patro, San Francisco consulate | Sunday 31 October (CalendarLabs, time.now) |
Sources don’t always line up. Wikipedia puts Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja together on the third day, while Hamro Patro’s 2026 list has Laxmi Puja and Kukur Tihar on one day and Gai Puja on the next. Lunar days don’t map neatly onto calendar days, so these overlaps do happen, as in 2025, according to Outlook India.
Hamro Patro also lists 12 November 2026 as a Tihar holiday. Its 2084 BS list wasn’t out when we checked. Confirm 2027 dates close to travel.
What happens on each day of Tihar?
Each of the five days honours something different, starting with crows and ending with brothers and sisters. The list below follows Wikipedia, with detail from Nepali press where we have it.
| Day | Name | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaag Tihar | Crows and ravens are fed. They’re seen as messengers of Yama, the god of death |
| 2 | Kukur Tihar | Dogs, both pets and strays, receive food, tika (a red forehead mark) and marigold garlands |
| 3 | Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja | Cows are honoured in the morning. In the evening, homes are cleaned and lit to welcome the goddess Lakshmi |
| 4 | Goru Puja, Govardhan Puja, Mha Puja | Oxen are honoured. Some people build a small mound of cow dung to represent Govardhan hill. Newars perform Mha Puja |
| 5 | Bhai Tika | Sisters place tika on their brothers and wish them long life, and brothers usually give gifts |
The Himalayan Times says the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee names the auspicious time for Bhai Tika each year. In 2019 it was 11.55 am.
How do dogs get honoured on Kukur Tihar?
Dogs are bathed, garlanded and fed on Kukur Tihar, including street dogs. Outlook India reported this in 2025, and said a red tika goes on each dog’s forehead and treats include meat, milk and eggs. Animal welfare groups feed strays and run adoption drives in Kathmandu and other cities.
Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force also honour their dogs on this day. Ask the owner or handler before you touch or photograph a garlanded dog, as you would at home.
What is Mha Puja and Nepal Sambat?
Mha Puja is the Newar ritual of “worship of the self”, and it falls on the same day as the Newar New Year. The Kathmandu Post reports that it takes place on the fourth night of Tihar. Families draw sacred mandalas on the floor, and the woman of the house gives each person a lit wick, a sacred thread and fruit.
Nepal Sambat, the Newar calendar, starts its new year on this day. Hamro Patro shows Nepal Sambat 1147 starting on 10 November 2026. The Post credits the calendar to Shankhadhar Sakhwa, in 880 AD. The Library of Congress study dates the era to 879.
The morning is the public part. AFP reported in 2016 that musicians, drummers and dancers paraded through Basantapur Durbar Square, and that hundreds marched while crowds cheered. Mha Puja itself is an evening ritual in family homes, so it isn’t something to visit. For the background, see our history of the Kathmandu Valley.
Where in the valley can visitors see Tihar?
Tihar happens mainly in homes and neighbourhoods, so the best place to see it is out in the streets on Laxmi Puja evening. Homes are lit with oil lamps (diyo) and electric lights, Wikipedia says. We found no official event for visitors.
| Place | What’s reported |
|---|---|
| Residential streets | Lights on Laxmi Puja evening, and Deusi and Bhailo groups |
| Basantapur, Kathmandu | Newar New Year parade in the morning, reported in 2016 |
| Kathmandu Durbar Square | Beside Basantapur. See our guide to Kathmandu Durbar Square |
| Rani Pokhari, Kathmandu | The Kathmandu Post expected its temple to open for Bhai Tika in 2020. Check if this applies in your year |
| Pashupatinath | PADT lists Tihar among its festivals, including Laxmi Puja night |
We have no firm reports on Thamel or Patan for Tihar, so we can’t say how they compare.
Who takes part?
Hindu families across Nepal take part, along with the Newar community on its own terms. Children go from house to house singing and dancing, in what’s called Deusi and Bhailo, and they receive money or food in return. AFP noted in 2016 that Newars mark their New Year with song and dance.
Visitors mostly watch. If a group sings at your hotel, it’s fine to enjoy it. If you’d like to give a small amount, ask hotel staff what’s normal, as we haven’t sourced a figure.
How should visitors behave?
Tihar is a warm, family-centred festival, and a little care goes a long way. These are mostly our own suggestions.
- Rangoli and lamps: homes may have floor patterns and lamps at the door. Walk around them, and don’t step on them.
- Don’t photograph inside homes or family rituals unless invited to. Ask before photographing children.
- Don’t enter a home uninvited, even if the door is open and decorated.
- Be polite with animals. Don’t feed or touch a garlanded cow or dog without asking.
- At temples, dress modestly and follow the normal rules. See our guide on what to wear in Kathmandu.
How does Tihar affect traffic and sightseeing?
We found no official traffic notice for Tihar, so these are expectations and not published facts. The Ministry of Home Affairs notice sets public holidays from 8 to 12 November 2026, so government offices will be closed on those days.
- Travel: Tihar comes soon after Dashain, and many people travel for Bhai Tika. Book long-distance transport early.
- Parades: a Newar New Year parade through Basantapur, as in 2016, could slow traffic around the old city that morning. We don’t have a 2026 or 2027 route.
- Offices: if you need a visa extension or bank service, sort it out before Laxmi Puja.
- Sites: we found no notice closing the seven monument zones, but ask about opening hours on Bhai Tika, as staff may be with their families.
Our Kathmandu street food walk goes through old market lanes, and some stalls may be closed on the main days. Tell us your date when you ask, and we’ll reply with a price and start time. If you’re coming earlier in the season, see our Dashain guide.
