Kaag Tihar, marks the first day of the five-day Tihar festival in Nepal one of the most beautiful and spiritually rich festivals celebrated across the country.
In 2025, Kaag Tihar falls on Monday, 19 October (2 Kartik) in the Nepali calendar.
On this day, Nepali families wake up early to honor crows (Kaag) regarded as messengers of Yama, the god of death. Offerings of food, grains, and sweets are placed on rooftops and courtyards to feed crows. This act symbolizes the belief that feeding crows during Kaag Tihar brings peace to departed souls and protects families from grief and misfortune.
Kaag Tihar is more than just the first day of the festival. It represents respect for life, death, and the unseen connection between humans and the divine setting the tone for the rest of Tihar’s celebrations.
This day is rooted in ancient Hindu belief systems. The crow is seen as a spiritual messenger carrying news between the human world and the realm of Yama. When a crow caws near a house, it is said to bring messages, sometimes of warning and sometimes of remembrance.
By performing the Kaag rituals, families seek to appease these sacred birds so that they bring good messages instead of sorrowful ones. Offering food to crows is a symbolic act of feeding the souls of ancestors, ensuring that they remain at peace in the afterlife.
In this way, Kaag Tihar unites life and death, devotion and compassion, reminding people of the eternal cycle of existence.
The Belief and History Behind Kaag Tihar
The history of this day traces back to several mythological stories within Hindu tradition:
1. The Crow as a Messenger of Yama
According to Hindu scriptures, Yama, the god of death and justice, sends crows to observe human behavior and deliver messages about life and death. These crows act as spiritual messengers, connecting the living and the deceased.
During Kag Tihar, feeding crows symbolizes appeasing Yama and honoring the souls of ancestors. It is believed that when crows are satisfied with food and respect, Yama blesses the family with happiness, longevity, and freedom from grief.
2. The Legend of Yamuna and Yama
Another ancient legend connects Kag Tihar to the story of Yamuna and her brother Yama.
Yamuna longed to see her brother and sent a crow, dog, and cow to invite him. When Yama finally arrived, she performed rituals to bless him with long life and prosperity. This event became the foundation for Tihar’s five-day celebration Kag Tihar (crow day), Kukur Tihar (dog day), Gai Tihar (cow day), Laxmi Puja, and Bhai Tika.
Thus, Kag Tihar represents the beginning of this divine reunion the first messenger’s day.
3. Souls of the Departed
In Nepali belief, crows represent the souls of deceased ancestors. On This first day on tihar know as Crow day, families feed crows in remembrance and respect for those who have passed away. The offering ensures peace for their souls and harmony for the living.
This belief is especially comforting for those who have lost loved ones making Kag Tihar a spiritual day of remembrance and love.
1. Early Morning Rituals
The celebration of Kaag Tihar begins before sunrise. Families clean their homes and surroundings to purify the environment. Freshly cooked rice, sweets, fruits, and traditional delicacies are prepared for the ritual.
The food is placed on rooftops, terraces, or open courtyards so crows can easily find it. As the crows arrive and begin to eat, people believe their offerings have been accepted a sign that the family will be protected from sorrow and misfortune in the coming year.
2. Offerings and Prayers
Offerings usually include rice, grains, sweets (sel roti, puri, peda), and water. Some households light oil lamps (diyo) near the offerings to symbolize light guiding the souls of the departed.
People pray silently or chant mantras to Yama and to their ancestors, expressing gratitude and seeking blessings for happiness, peace, and longevity.
3. Symbolic Acts
After feeding the crows, families may share remaining offerings among themselves as prasāda blessed food. This act reinforces unity within the household and gratitude for nature’s balance.
Children enjoy watching the crows arrive, and elders tell them the stories of this day passing down values of compassion and respect for all living beings.
Kaag Tihar marks the start of Tihar (Yamapanchak), Nepal’s second-biggest festival after Dashain.
Each day of Tihar honors a different being associated with divine, moral, or cosmic importance:
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Kaag Tihar – Worship of the crow (messenger of Yama)
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Kukur Tihar – Worship of dogs (loyal companions and protectors)
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Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja – Worship of cows and Goddess Laxmi
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Goru Tihar and Govardhan Puja – Worship of oxen and nature
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Bhai Tika – Celebration of the bond between brothers and sisters
The five days together represent harmony between humans, animals, gods, and spirits a celebration of life in all its forms. Kag Tihar begins this journey of gratitude and balance.
1. Honoring Nature and Balance
Kag Tihar teaches that every living being has a role in maintaining cosmic order. Even crows, often misunderstood or feared, play a vital part in nature. By worshiping them, humans show respect to the smallest members of creation.
2. Connection Between Life and Death
In Kaag Tihar, feeding the crow symbolizes acknowledging death while celebrating life. The ritual reflects an ancient understanding that both life and death are natural, inseparable, and part of the universal balance.
3. Compassion and Gratitude
In this day everyone encourages compassion towards animals and gratitude toward ancestors. It is an emotional reminder to cherish family ties and to treat all creatures with kindness.
4. Spiritual Cleansing
By beginning Tihar with Kaag Tihar, families symbolically cleanse their homes of negative energy. Feeding crows removes bad omens and invites prosperity and joy.
Kaag Tihar
While Crow is observed throughout Nepal, customs vary slightly by region:
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In Kathmandu Valley: Offerings are placed on rooftops early in the morning. Families often combine this day with Dhanteras rituals for prosperity and health.
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In Terai Region: Kag Tihar rituals sometimes include lighting lamps in courtyards and streets to guide ancestors’ souls.
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In Hilly Regions: Villagers offer grains and millet to crows while chanting local hymns for protection.
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In Urban Areas: Due to limited rooftops, people offer food on balconies or bird feeders, keeping the tradition alive in modern spaces.
Despite regional differences, the heart of Kaag Tihar remains the same respect, remembrance, and renewal.
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Nepali Date: 2 Kartik 2082
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English Date: 19 October 2025, Monday
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Festival Duration: Early morning (Brahma Muhurta) until mid-day
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Main Offering Time: Before sunrise or within the early morning hours
Kaag Tihar 2025 officially opens the five days of Tihar, which continues until Bhai Tika on 23 October 2025.
Kag Tihar carries a deep spiritual message:
Respect the messengers of life and death, honor nature’s balance, and live with gratitude and peace.
The crow’s caw during Kaag Tihar is a reminder that life is temporary and sacred. By honoring these messengers, we express humility before the divine order. The ritual of Kaag Tihar symbolizes purification transforming fear into peace, darkness into light.
For travelers, Kaag Tihar offers a unique opportunity to experience Nepal’s living spirituality. Visitors who witness this day in Kathmandu, Pokhara, or rural villages see how ancient beliefs blend naturally with modern life.
Tourists are encouraged to:
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Observe rituals respectfully in the morning
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Avoid disturbing offerings or feeding crows improperly
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Ask locals about stories behind Kag Tihar
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Participate in cultural exchange and learn about Nepal’s spiritual ecology
Kaag Tihar showcases Nepal’s deep harmony between humans, animals, and gods, a value that continues to inspire travelers worldwide.
In a world filled with distractions and stress, Kag Tihar reminds us to slow down, observe, and appreciate every life around us.
It teaches environmental respect, empathy, and remembrance values that are as relevant today as they were centuries ago.
This day is not just a festival ritual; it’s a philosophy of life. By feeding a crow, one feeds humility, love, and gratitude the real essence of Tihar.
Kaag Tihar 2025 celebrated on 19 October (2 Kartik) marks the beginning of Nepal’s five-day festival of lights, symbolizing the connection between the living and the departed. On this sacred day, Nepalis feed crows as messengers of Yama, expressing love and reverence for their ancestors.
The celebration of This day in Tihar continues to remind every Nepali and visitor that life, nature, and spirit are deeply interconnected.
As lamps glow and crows feast, Crow whispers a timeless message feed kindness, honor memory, and celebrate the light within.
Q1: When is Kaag Tihar 2025 celebrated?
Kaag Tihar 2025 falls on Monday, 19 October 2025 (2 Kartik 2082), marking the first day of the Tihar festival in Nepal.
Q2: Why do people celebrate Kag Tihar?
Kag Tihar is celebrated to honor and feed crows, believed to be messengers of Yama, the god of death. Feeding them is said to bring peace to ancestors’ souls and protect families from grief.
Q3: What do people offer to crows on Kag Tihar?
People offer rice, sweets, grains, and fruits on rooftops or courtyards early in the morning. The food symbolizes respect and peace offerings to the messengers of the spiritual realm.
Q4: How is Kag Tihar connected to the rest of Tihar?
Kag Tihar is the first day of Tihar, followed by Kukur Tihar (dogs), Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja (cows and Goddess Laxmi), Govardhan Puja (oxen), and Bhai Tika (siblings).
Q5: What is the spiritual message of Kag Tihar?
Kaag Tihar teaches compassion, respect for all life, and remembrance of ancestors highlighting the connection between life, death, and harmony.
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