Bhaktapur breaks from official calendar, to celebrate Mha Puja and Bhai Tika a day early

Bhaktapur Municipality has decided to celebrate Mha Puja and Bhai Tika a day ahead of this year's officially recognised government calendar.

The government calendar, prepared on the recommendation of the Panchanga Nirnayak Samiti (calendar-determination committee), lists Mha Puja on Kartik 24 and Bhai Tika on Kartik 25. In Bhaktapur, however, Laxmi Puja will be observed on Kartik 22, Mha Puja on Kartik 23 and Kija Puja on Kartik 24. Among the Newar community, Bhai Tika is known as Kija Puja.

The decision was made following discussions, under the chairmanship of Mayor Sunil Prajapati, with the priests of Taleju, astrologers, karmacharyas, the Navadurga deity group and officials of the jatra management committee, based on tantric tradition. The municipality fixed the festival dates according to the exact time each lunar date (tithi) begins.

Since the new-moon tithi begins after 10:54 am on Sunday, Kartik 22, Deepawali and Laxmi Puja will be held that evening. As the first lunar day (pratipada) begins after 11:33 am on Monday, Mha Puja will be held that evening. Since the second lunar day (dwitiya) begins after 12:41 pm on Tuesday, Kija Puja will be held that evening, the municipality said.