Tihar begins today with Dhanteras

Tihar, Nepal's second-biggest festival, begins today, with Dhanteras observed across the country as families buy new jewellery, gold and silver coins, and metal utensils to bring home for worship.

The Trayodashi tithi, on which Dhanteras falls, begins at 11:10 this morning and continues until 10:47 on Saturday morning, according to astrologer Narayan Prasad Dulal. Because the tithi stretches across two days, Kag Puja and Dhanvantari Jayanti will be observed on Saturday.

On Sunday morning, the Chaturdashi tithi brings Kukur Puja, when dogs are honoured, and Lakshmi Puja follows the same evening, when homes are lit with oil lamps to welcome the goddess of wealth. Bhai Tika, the festival's closing day, falls on 11 November (Kartik 25, 2083).

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Tihar is normally a five-day festival, running from Trayodashi in the dark half of Kartik to Dwitiya in the bright half. This year it stretches to six days because of shifts in the tithi calendar.

In the Mithila region, families light rows of lamps in the evening on Trayodashi and buy metal utensils and jewellery, brooms and coriander seeds as part of the Dhanteras tradition.

Nepal Rastra Bank is continuing its sale of gold and silver coins for Dhanteras today from its office in Babarmahal, Kathmandu. Sales began on Thursday.

Tihar, also known as the festival of lights, honours crows, dogs and cows in its early days before turning to Lakshmi Puja and Bhai Tika, when sisters pray for their brothers' long life.