The Nepal Calendar Determination Committee has set 11:07 am on Wednesday, November 11, as the auspicious hour for receiving Bhaitika, the main ritual of Tihar in Nepal. Committee Chair Prof Dr Puruswottam Bhattarai said the time was fixed for the ceremony in which brothers and sisters traditionally exchange tika.
Bhaitika time announced
The committee’s announcement identifies a specific time for the central Bhaitika ritual. The observance brings brothers and sisters together to exchange tika, and the committee has designated 11:07 am as the auspicious hour for receiving it this year.
Committee Chair Bhattarai said the time had been fixed for receiving Bhaitika. The announcement provides a shared reference point for families planning the ritual, while the committee also clarified that people are not prevented from observing it by strict astrological restrictions.
The committee stated that there are no strict astrological restrictions that would stop people from performing the ritual. Its announcement therefore sets out the auspicious hour without presenting it as a prohibition on observing Bhaitika at another time.
Yama Panchak begins on November 6
Committee member Laxman Panthi said this year’s Yama Panchak festivals will begin on November 6, with Dhanatrayodashi. Bhaitika is the main ritual of Tihar, and the committee’s announcement places its timing within the wider sequence of festivals that begins with Dhanatrayodashi.
The announced dates and time are:
- November 6: Yama Panchak begins with Dhanatrayodashi.
- November 11 at 11:07 am: Auspicious hour set for receiving Bhaitika.
The committee’s guidance covers both the start of Yama Panchak and the time fixed for Bhaitika. Families observing the festival can take the announced hour into account as they make arrangements for the sibling ritual.
The announcement also makes clear that the set hour should not be read as a strict astrological barrier. While 11:07 am is the committee’s designated auspicious time for receiving tika, it said there are no strict astrological restrictions preventing people from observing Bhaitika.
Bhaitika remains the central ritual identified in the committee’s Tihar timetable, with brothers and sisters traditionally exchanging tika. The announced time is 11:07 am on Wednesday, November 11, following the start of Yama Panchak on November 6.
