Tihar, also known as the Festival of Lights, is the
second most important festival celebrated by Nepali people after Dashain. It is
observed over five days and is also called Yama Panchak. Each day of the
festival has a unique significance — Kaag Tihar (worship of crows), Kukur
Tihar (worship of dogs), Laxmi Puja (worship of Goddess Laxmi), Gai
Tihar (worship of cows), and Bhai Tika (the ceremony celebrating the
bond between brothers and sisters).
One of the major highlights of Tihar is preparing sel
roti at home — a ring-shaped, doughnut-like delicacy made from rice flour.
It is deep-fried in oil or ghee, which gives it a golden-brown or reddish-brown
color and a slightly oily texture.
During Tihar, sel roti is made in abundance. As a
result, it is commonly served for several days after the festival, often as
breakfast or snacks in most Nepali households.
In economics, we study the law of diminishing marginal
utility, which states that the satisfaction derived from consuming a good
decrease with each additional unit consumed. The same concept amusingly applies
to sel roti — while the first few bites are delightful, repeated
consumption over several days tends to reduce the excitement. Moreover, sel
roti hardens over time, making it less enjoyable to eat.
Nevertheless, dipping hardened sel roti in a cup of
tea until it softens and eating it — even days or weeks after Tihar — is a
common and endearing scene in many Nepali homes.