Are we losing the essence of Deusi-Bhailo?

With loudspeakers playing contemporary hits instead of traditional chants, many worry that the spirit of Deusi-Bhailo is being overshadowed by a focus on entertainment over community connection.

Whenever Sushmita Chaulagain, 21, from Banepa, thinks of Tihar, two things come to her mind—the lights and Deusi-Bhailo. For her, the latter is about fun and entertainment, a time to dance to any tune, Bollywood or otherwise. But after talking to her mother and grandmother, she noticed that, in their time, Deusi-Bhailo was a deeply devotional event, a celebration where people sang Bhajans and even older community members joined in, using traditional instruments like the Khaijadi (a type of tambourine used in festivals, dances, and chants).