Nepali Pandit Sangh UK has published its auspicious times for the main festivals of Bikram Sambat 2083, giving families across Britain a schedule for Dashain, Tihar and Bhai Tika based on UK local time.

The association said the schedule was drawn up by a three-member committee convened by its senior vice-president, astrologer Pandit Nilhari Ghimire. The committee was established following a decision at an executive committee meeting chaired by Pandit Chiranjivi Dhakal on Monday 28 September 2026. According to the association, the committee consulted astrologers and teachers in the UK and Nepal, drawing on classical religious texts, tithi calculations, almanac information and local conditions in Britain.

Dashain timings

All times below are UK local time, as given by the association.

• Ghatasthapana: Sunday 11 October 2026, 10:15am, or 7:15pm for those observing it in the evening.

• Phulpati: Saturday 17 October, 10:05am, or 7:31pm for the evening observance.

• Maha Navami: Tuesday 20 October, 10:11am.

• Vijaya Dashami and tika: Wednesday 21 October, with the recommended auspicious time for tika at 8:45am.

The association stressed that 8:45am is a preferred time, rather than a requirement. Families may receive tika, jamara and elders’ blessings at another suitable time on Vijaya Dashami, in keeping with their traditions and circumstances. Those who cannot meet relatives on the day may, in line with Nepali custom, receive tika at a convenient time between Dashami and the full moon. The association also advised those receiving tika to face west.

Tihar and Bhai Tika

• Laxmi Puja: Sunday 8 November 2026, in the evening. The association did not specify an exact time.

• Bhai Tika: Wednesday 11 November, with the recommended auspicious time at 10:45am. The association again advised those receiving tika to face west.

Why local time matters

The association said festival timings published for Nepal should not be applied unchanged in Britain, because sunrise, sunset, tithi, nakshatra, lagna and other factors used in religious calendar calculations vary by location. Families should follow timings calculated for where they live, it said.

Using a locally calculated auspicious time involves more than converting the time difference between Nepal and Britain. Nepal is 4 hours 45 minutes ahead of Britain during British Summer Time and 5 hours 45 minutes ahead during Greenwich Mean Time. The UK’s clocks go back on Sunday 25 October, so the October timings listed above fall in BST and the November timings in GMT.

A Britain-specific religious almanac

Pandit Chiranjivi Dhakal said preserving and passing on Nepali Sanatan dharma, rituals and culture is a shared responsibility. As Britain’s Nepali community grows and its religious and cultural activities expand, he said, reliable information on festival dates and auspicious times needs to be readily available. This would also help younger generations understand their cultural and religious identity.

General Secretary Pandit Shekhar Shandilya Kafle called for a dedicated Nepali religious almanac for Britain, covering local time, tithi, nakshatra, sunrise and sunset. He said the association had asked its panchang decision committee to begin work towards producing the almanac.

Such a publication would help families observe festivals in accordance with religious guidance and local conditions, he said, calling for cooperation among priests, astrologers, temples and community organisations.

No publication date has been announced.

The association urged followers of Sanatan dharma across the UK to observe festivals in accordance with religious guidance, local timings and family traditions. It also extended festive greetings to Nepali communities in Britain and worldwide.