Inner Circle Nepal newsroom · 6 November 2026
नेपाली सारांश
भोलि शनिबार, ७ नोभेम्बर (कात्तिक २१, २०८३) काग तिहार पर्छ — तिहारको पहिलो दिन। बिहानै परिवारले छाना, बार्दली वा आँगनमा भात, रोटी, मिठाई र पानी राखेर कागलाई खुवाउँछन्। हिन्दु परम्परामा काग यमराजका सन्देशवाहक मानिन्छन्; खुसी बनाएर घरमा शान्ति र सुरक्षाको कामना गरिन्छ। डराउने दिन होइन — तिहारको शान्त सुरुवात हो। विदेशमा बस्नेले भिडियो कल, सानो चढावा वा छिमेकी नेपालीसँग कुरा गरेर पनि जोडिन सकिन्छ.
Tomorrow is Kaag Tihar — Crow Tihar — the first of Tihar’s five days. While Dhanteras (Friday 6 November) opened the festival with lamps, metal and a wish for prosperity, Saturday’s ritual is quieter: food left at first light for crows, and a household prayer that only good news reach the family in the year ahead.
According to Nepal’s Calendar Determination Committee, as reported by Radio Nepal, Kaag Tihar falls on Saturday, 7 November 2026. The same week runs through Bhai Tika on Wednesday, 11 November, with the auspicious hour for ritual tika set at 11:07 am for that day.
The Tihar week, one calm checklist
ICN’s Dhanteras desk note locked this year’s window for readers at home and abroad:
- Kaag Tihar — Saturday 7 November (Kartik 21, 2083)
- Kukur Tihar and Laxmi Puja — Sunday 8 November
- Gai Tihar — Monday 9 November
- Govardhan Puja and Mha Puja — Tuesday 10 November
- Bhai Tika — Wednesday 11 November
Kaag Tihar is Day 1 of the five-day cycle often called Yama Panchak. It is not a shopping peak. It is a dawn practice that many households finish before breakfast.
Why crows?
In Nepali Hindu tradition, crows (kaag) are remembered as messengers of Yama, the god of death and justice. The morning caw that can feel like a warning in everyday speech is, on this day, met with care: feed the messengers, and ask that grief stay away.
Offerings are simple — cooked rice, roti or bread, sweets, fruit, a little water, sometimes leftovers the birds will actually eat. Families place them on a rooftop, balcony, front step or courtyard wall, where crows can see and reach them. Some light incense or call softly; children often enjoy the call. If a crow comes and eats, many take it as a good sign. If not, the food is left and the day continues. There is no single “correct” plate — regional and family habits differ.
The practice is sometimes linked with kakbali, an offering that expresses respect rather than fear. The Nepal Tourism Board and festival primers describe crow worship as an important opening ritual of Tihar — food, incense and light at the start of the week of lights.
Same Saturday: Dhanvantari Jayanti
Many calendars also mark Dhanvantari Jayanti on the same Saturday — honouring Dhanvantari, associated with Ayurveda and healing. Read next to Dhanteras’ themes of prosperity and protection, the pairing is gentle: wealth, health and a wish that the household stay whole.
Soft diaspora angle
Plenty of Nepalis will wake up in London, Doha, Sydney, Toronto or a US city without a Kathmandu rooftop. The ritual still travels. Some leave a small plate on a balcony or windowsill if birds visit their street. Others join parents on a video call at dawn Nepal time, or simply tell children why Saturday’s calendar says “Kaag.” Connection matters more than a perfect setup.
If you are far from home and want company this Tihar week — stories, greetings, or a calm room to ask what your family does — Chautari is where Inner Circle Nepal hosts that conversation. No pressure; the festival comes first.
What Kaag Tihar is not
It is not a scare day. It is not a substitute for Laxmi Puja or Bhai Tika. And it is not something you “fail” if no crow arrives before you leave for work. The offering is a wish: good news, a safe household, respect for the messengers who sit between the living and the stories we tell about death and justice.
Light the week gently. Tomorrow belongs to the crows — and to the quiet start of Tihar.
Further reading: Dhanteras opens Tihar 2026 · Beyond gold and silver: the stories behind Dhanteras
