Tihar, the festival of lights and colours, is incomplete without Deusi-Bhailo. However, this year, authorities across the country have restricted Deusi and Bhailo programmes due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and this has saddened people from all age groups, especially teenagers.

A week ago, the pandemic also made Dashain different from the past as most people couldn’t reunite with their families and relatives. Most people confined themselves to their homes fearing transmission of the virus that has terrorised the world.

Authorities have already alerted the public not to go door to door for Deusi-Bhailo this year. Disobedience will lead to transmission of coronavirus that has already claimed over a thousand lives in the country.

“Inspector General Shailesh Thapa Kshetri has already sent circulars to all seven provincial police offices to strictly prohibit people from organising and participating in Deusi-Bhailo this year,” said Senior Superintendent Kuber Kadayat, spokesperson for Nepal Police.

This year, the five-day festival is to start on November 13.

Kadayat further said this time, members of Nepal Police and all other security agencies who would organise Deusi-Bhailo at their barracks have also cancelled the programme due to the pandemic. “It used to be our regular programme during Tihar. But as there is risk of transmission of Covid-19, we are not going to celebrate it this way,” said Kdayat.

Even the district authorities in the Valley have announced plans to place restrictions on Deusi-Bhailo. However, they are yet to come up with a written statement.

“This whole year has been about bad luck. We don't go anywhere in Dashain. Tihar used to be my favourite festival because we could go for Deusi-Bhailo, but this time everything is boring,” said said Sulav Timalsena, 15, from Pepsikola.

“Earlier, my friends and I used to go out for Deusi-Bhailo. But this year, it’s been over eight months since I even met my friends,” he said.

Meanwhile, at a time when going door to door for Deusi-Bhailo has become too risky, some of culture groups are planning to organise Deusi-Bhailo programmes online.

“We are thinking of going live so that people can watch us and enjoy the flavour of Deusi-Bhailo staying at home,” said Milan Muktan, Managing Director at Sadhana Kala Kendra.

“For the past three decades we regularly organised such programmes. And it used to be a time to earn some money for artists. Many renowned singers are also singing this year,” said Muktan.

He said artists from his organisations are preparing to go to different TV channels and Radio to broadcast the Deusi-Bhailo live.