Gangtok, Oct. 19 -- Kaag Tihar, also known as the Festival of Crows, marks the beginning of the five-day-long Tihar or Deepawali festival, one of the most celebrated and spiritually meaningful occasions in Nepal and among Nepali communities worldwide. In 2025, Kaag Tihar falls on Monday, October 19, coinciding with 2 Kartik in the Nepali calendar. The festival sets the tone for the days ahead, symbolizing the balance between life, death, devotion, and compassion.

On this day, people rise early in the morning to honor crows, regarded in Hindu tradition as the messengers of Yama, the god of death. Offerings of rice, grains, sweets, and other delicacies are placed on rooftops and courtyards to feed these sacred birds. The ritual reflects th...