Bhai Dooj and Tihar 2026 in Canada: dates, tika time and gift ideas

When is Bhai Dooj 2026 in Canada?

Bhai Dooj falls on Dwitiya, the second lunar day of the bright half of Kartika, two days after Diwali. Because of the time difference, the date in Canada is one day earlier than in India this year.

In Toronto, Dwitiya runs from 3:30 AM on November 10 to 5:23 AM on November 11. If you are calling family in India, remember they will do the tika a day after you. Times are from Drik Panchang with each city set. B.C. now stays on UTC-7 all year, so Vancouver is two hours behind Toronto in November.

When is Tihar 2026 and Bhai Tika?

Tihar (called Swanti in Newar communities) is the five-day Nepali festival that matches Diwali. Drik Panchang lists these dates for 2026:

1. Kag Tihar (crows): Friday, November 6
2. Kukur Tihar (dogs): Saturday, November 7
3. Gai Tihar and Laxmi Puja (cows, Goddess Laxmi): Sunday, November 8
4. Goru Tihar, Govardhan Puja and Mha Puja, also the start of Nepal Sambat, the Newar new year: Monday, November 9
5. Bhai Tika: Tuesday, November 10

Bhai Tika is on November 10 in Kathmandu as well as in Canada. Drik Panchang gives a Bhai Tika time of 1:00 PM to 2:59 PM in Toronto and 12:53 PM to 3:03 PM in Kathmandu. Many Nepali families in Canada follow the time set in Nepal each year, so check with your family or community group too.

What happens on Bhai Dooj and Bhai Tika?

Bhai Dooj is also called Bhau Beej, Bhai Phonta, Bhatra Dwitiya or Yama Dwitiya. The story behind it is that Yama, the god of death, visited his sister Yamuna on this day. She welcomed him with tilak and a meal, and he blessed her in return.

On the day, sisters apply a tilak (tika) on their brothers' foreheads, do aarti with a decorated thali, and pray for their long life and well-being. Many sisters fast until the ritual is done and then serve a meal. Brothers give gifts to their sisters in return.

In Nepali Bhai Tika, sisters apply a seven-colour tika (saptarangi tika) and give a garland, often of makhamali flowers. Brothers return the tika and give gifts or money. Cousins and family friends often join in, so one family may have several "brothers" and "sisters" on the day.

How do families in Canada mark Bhai Dooj?

Bhai Dooj falls on a Tuesday in 2026, so many families do the tika in the evening after work, or on the weekend before. Drik Panchang lists the afternoon (Aparahna) as the preferred time, but the tilak itself is what matters most to most families.

If your brother or sister lives in another city or country, a video call tika is common now. Sisters often post the tilak and sweets, and brothers send their gift. If you send money for a gift to India or Nepal, compare fees and exchange rates first. See our pages on sending money to India.

Is gold a good Bhai Dooj gift for a sister?

Gold is one of the most common gifts from a brother on Bhai Dooj, along with clothes, sweets and cash. It lasts, it keeps value better than most gifts, and many sisters keep it for years. Ideas by budget:

• Under about $200: a 1 g gold coin, or a silver coin or bracelet.
• A few hundred dollars: small 22K stud earrings, a thin chain or a pendant.
• More: a gold bangle or a 5 g or 10 g coin.
• For a younger sister: start a small gold savings plan and add to it every year.

Budgets are rough and depend on the gold price that day. For example, at $150 a gram for 24K gold, a 1 g coin is about $150 of gold before the store's premium. Nepali families often price gold per tola (11.6638 g). Compare the gold price in Nepal or the gold rate in India if family there is buying.

How do you buy a gold gift smart?

22K or 24K?

24K gold is 99.9% pure. It is soft, so it is used mostly for coins and bars. 22K gold is 91.6% pure (often stamped 916). It is a little harder, so most South Asian jewellery is 22K. 18K is 75% gold and 14K is 58.5%. For the same weight, a higher karat has more gold in it, so it costs more. Use our gold price by karat page to compare.

Making charges

Jewellery costs more than the gold inside it. Stores add a making charge (also called a labour or design charge). Some charge a percentage of the gold value. Others charge a set amount per gram. Ask for the gold weight, the karat and the making charge as separate lines on the bill. Then you can compare stores. Our jewellery markup calculator shows how much you pay above the gold value.

Buy-back and exchange

Ask the store, before you pay, what it pays if you sell or exchange the piece later. Many stores deduct the making charge, and some deduct more. Get the policy in writing on the receipt. Coins and bars usually lose less on resale than detailed jewellery.

Check the stamp

In Canada, a quality mark (like 22K or 916) is not required. But if a store puts one on, it must be truthful and come with a Canadian trademark, under the Precious Metals Marking Act (as of October 2026). Keep your receipt with the karat, weight and store name.

Before you buy, run the weight and karat through our gold value calculator and check the live gold price in Canada. Gold prices can go down as well as up. Past prices don't predict future prices.

Common questions

Sources

• Drik Panchang: Bhai Dooj 2026, Toronto
• Drik Panchang: Bhai Dooj 2026, Vancouver
• Drik Panchang: Bhai Dooj 2026, New Delhi
• Drik Panchang: Tihar calendar 2026
• Drik Panchang: Bhai Tika 2026, Kathmandu
• Government of British Columbia: Permanent daylight saving time (Pacific time, UTC-7)
• Competition Bureau Canada: Precious metals marking

Checked against these sources on October 24, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.