A Buddhist family celebrating Tihar--a Hindu festival

The desperate need for preserving one’s own culture catches people off guard when they witness an ‘outsider’ not only acknowledging their traditions but somewhat even adopting them.

Rangolis, diyos, vibrant lights, and all the array of festive paraphernalia that accompany the week of Tihar ring in my brain as I try to trace just how far back my affinity for this festival goes; but that would be akin to jogging up the most distant memories I can't even recall precisely. Tihar, nonetheless, instilled a default holiday mood for our Buddhist family, as it did for the majority in Nepal. Of course, we have our Gyalpo Lhosar, which has its own set of religious protocols we would adhere to; the charm of `Tihar, however, is unlike anything else.