Dating During Dashain and Tihar: A Festival Season Guide

Why Festival Season Changes Dating

Dashain and Tihar are the stretch of the year when Nepali life turns towards family. People travel home from Kathmandu, from the Gulf, from university abroad; offices close; houses fill up. Dashain runs for about fifteen days, from Ghatasthapana to Purnima, with Vijaya Dashami as its heart, and Tihar follows a few weeks later over five days of lights, flowers and sibling love.

For dating, that means two things. Your free time disappears into family visits, so a new connection might go a bit quiet. And the festivals bring you face to face with the whole extended family, which is exactly when the questions start. Not every Nepali family celebrates these festivals, or celebrates them the same way, so take what fits yours.

Handling "When Are You Getting Married?" at Tika

Receiving tika and jamara from your elders, along with their blessings, is one of the most meaningful moments of Dashain. It is also, for many people in their twenties, when an aunt asks why you are still single, and whether you have a kundali she can pass along.

• Have an easy line ready. "When the right person comes, you'll be the first to know" is warm and ends the topic.
• Remember most of it comes from care, even when it lands badly. A smile and a change of subject usually work.
• If you are seeing someone and not ready to share, you do not owe anyone an announcement over tika.
• If it is wearing you down, step out for a walk or some kite flying. Festivals are long; pace yourself.

Meeting Someone's Family During the Festivals

Festival season is a natural, low-pressure moment to meet a partner's family, because visits happen anyway and homes are open. If you are invited for tika or a festival meal, a few tips:

• Ask your partner what to expect: who will be there, how long to stay, and the family's customs. Some families use red tika with rice and yoghurt, others white tika, and practices vary across communities.
• Greet elders respectfully. In many families you bow or touch an elder's feet when you receive tika; follow your partner's lead.
• Bring a small gift, such as fruit or a box of sweets. Something modest is better than something showy.
• Accept food when offered, at least a little. Refusing everything can come across as cold.
• Dress neatly and modestly. Festival clothes are welcome, but ask if you are unsure.

Tihar and Bhai Tika Etiquette

Tihar is gentler and brighter than Dashain. Its five days honour the crow, the dog, the cow and Laxmi, then the ox (and for Newar families, Mha Puja and the Nepal Sambat new year), and end with Bhai Tika, when sisters give their brothers a seven-coloured tika and a makhamali garland and pray for their long life, and brothers give gifts in return.

• Bhai Tika is about siblings, so if you are dating someone, do not expect them to be free that day. Their sister or brother comes first, and that is lovely.
• If you are invited to join, treat it as an honour. It means you are being welcomed close to the family.
• Many people without a brother or sister receive or give tika with cousins or close friends. If you know someone in that position, it is kind to include them.
• Deusi and bhailo groups going house to house are part of the fun. Joining one with friends is a classic way to spend a Tihar evening together.

Festival Date Ideas and Gift Ideas

The season gives you plenty of easy, genuinely fun things to do together:

• Fly kites on a rooftop during Dashain, or find a ping (bamboo swing) in your neighbourhood.
• Walk through lit-up streets on Laxmi Puja evening, when homes glow with diyo lamps and lights.
• Help each other make rangoli or marigold garlands for your homes.
• Share sel roti and festival sweets, homemade if you can.
• For gifts, keep it thoughtful: a makhamali or marigold mala, a nice diyo, a handwritten note, or something they mentioned wanting. Small and personal beats big and expensive, especially early on.

Celebrating Abroad: Community, Time Zones and Video Calls

For Nepalis in the USA, the UK, Australia, the Gulf or Japan, festival season can feel both joyful and homesick. Nepali community groups and associations in many cities hold Dashain and Tihar gatherings, which are a lovely way to celebrate and to meet people who share your traditions.

Plan family calls around the time difference. The auspicious time for Dashain tika is announced in Nepal each year, so check it and convert it to your local time: in Australia it lands around midday or in the afternoon, while in North America it can fall late the night before. Many families now give blessings over video, and some people abroad put tika on each other with friends while the family watches on the call. If you are dating someone abroad, celebrating together can be a beautiful way to feel at home.

Staying Safe When Meeting New People

Holidays mean more people back in town, more events and more first dates. The usual rules still apply: meet in a busy public place, tell a friend or family member where you are going, and never send money to someone you have not met. Festivals can also mean late nights and travel, so plan how you will get home. Our safety guide has more tips.

Meet Someone This Festival Season

Whether you are home for the holidays or celebrating far away, Klik is a place to meet Nepalis who get it: the tika, the kites, the questions from relatives and all. Start a conversation before the festivities begin.