20 October 2025 
Emma Walton-Pond, Communications Officer
Houses lit up with colourful lights. Delicious home-made food. Lots of love and laughter filling every corner. That’s how I have always experienced Tihar, or as many call it, Diwali, being celebrated back home in Kathmandu, Nepal.
October is a festive month for us. Just a couple of weeks before Diwali, we celebrate Dashain, another significant festival marked by families gathering, blessings and flying kites. Together, these two festivals bring families together to connect, reconnect, and celebrate traditions that have been passed down through generations, while also creating new memories along the way.
As I write this a week before Tihar, I can almost picture myself back home - painting diyas, helping clean the house, and preparing festive snacks with my family. Tihar in Nepal is celebrated over five days, each with its own meaning and rituals. It honours animals such as crows, dogs, and cows, as well as deities like Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. The festival embodies gratitude, harmony within the community, and the triumph of good over evil.
Among the radiant lights and joyous customs of Tihar, Bhai Tika, the final day of the festival, is my personal favourite. It celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, strengthening their relationship. At my home, this day is spent performing rituals, exchanging gifts, playing cards, and sharing laughter with a house full of relatives. It’s one of those days where the warmth of togetherness truly takes centre stage.
Since these festivals follow the lunar Hindu calendar, their dates shift each year in the Gregorian calendar. Last year, Diwali happened to fall quite close to Guy Fawkes Night. Being new to Scotland at the time, I remember smiling at the coincidence and for a moment, I thought people were simply celebrating Diwali a little late! It was heartwarming to see how both festivals, in their own ways, light up the sky and bring people together as the seasons change. I particularly enjoyed the fireworks, something I don’t get to experience back home, where they’re banned.
Now, celebrating Diwali here in the UK, home away from home, I’ve come to realise that it’s really about the community we build along the way. It’s been just over two months since I began my role as a Research and Projects Officer at UHR, and in that short time, I’ve already seen such a wonderful sense of collaboration and connection within the People Teams across universities. So, to my UHR colleagues who celebrate Diwali and to those who will simply be enjoying the fireworks lighting up the sky tonight, I wish you all the light of Diwali. May it bring joy, peace, and prosperity into your lives.
Research and Projects Officer at UHR
