Bhailo and Deusi, collectively known as Deusi/Bhailo, are Nepalese traditional folk songs sung during the Tihar festival in Nepal as well as in Darjeeling hills, Sikkim, Assam, and some other parts of India among the Gorkhali diaspora.

[1] Children as well as adults perform Deusi/Bhailo by singing songs and dancing as they go to various homes in their community, collecting money, sweets and food and giving blessings for prosperity.

At the end of these songs, the house owner serves food and gives money to the Deusi/Bhailo singers and dancers.

While the ritual was being performed, Lord Vishnu appeared before Bali in his dwarf priest avatar, Vamana.

Lord Vishnu allowed King Bali to be able to ascend to Mṛtyuloka for five days on Yama Panchak.

[7][8] According to another story, there once lived a pregnant woman and she arrived in a place named Kallai in the present day Jumla district of Nepal.

According to Jagaman Gurung, a cultural expert, the woman might have been involved in an incest or other taboo activity and hence fled her home and arrived in Kallai.

One day, a sage named Chandannath arrived at that place and found Bali to be worthy as a ruler.

But later the practice changed and people would offer their children to the temple to live as Devdas (lit.

[9][10] Another variation of the legend attributes the origin of the tradition to the battle between Baliraja of Jumla and Timur during the 14th century.

After defeat of Baliraja in the war, the song and dance is said to have performed to collect taxes from the people by the king.

Hariyo gobar le lipeko, Laxmi–Pooja gareko Hey Aunsi ko baro Gai–Tihar ho Bhailo Hami tesai ayenau, Bali raja le pathako Hey Aunsi ko baro Gai–Tihar ho Bhailo (in Nepali)