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Kukur Tihar: All you need to know about the famous dog festival of Nepal
Have you heard about Kukur Tihar or the dog festival of Nepal? Read this in-depth article to find out about this historic tradition, the perfect homage to man's best friend
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Kukur Tihar is an ancient festival of Nepal, dedicated to the worship of dogs. This unique Hindu tradition is observed on the second day of Tihar, an annual five day festival that falls around the months of October or November. They say every dog has its day but Kukur Tihar ensures that ALL dogs have their day.
Always a good boi, but even better on Kukur Tihar (Source: BBC)
History of Kukur Tihar - The Dog Festival
First a little bit of background. Tihar is the second largest festival celebrated in Nepal. During the five days of Tihar, many animals are worshipped along with dogs including rows (Kaag Tihar), Cows (Gai Tihar), Ox (Govardhan Pooja) and Dogs (Kukur Tihar).
In Hindu mythology, Yama is considered to have two messenger dogs - Shyama and Sharvara, who guard the door of hell. Nepali Hindus believe that by worshipping dogs they are able to see death positively, because a dog follows them in their final journey. By pleasing dogs, they hope to please Yama himself.
Alternatively, some people also believe that Kukur Tihar is just a way for Nepali people to show their appreciation to the man’s best friend. According to ABC Science, dogs might have been first domesticated around the region of Nepal and Mongolia, which tells you just how long people in Nepal co-existed with their doggie companions.
In Hindu mythology, Yama is considered to have two messenger dogs - Shyama and Sharvara, who guard the door of hell. Nepali Hindus believe that by worshipping dogs they are able to see death positively, because a dog follows them in their final journey. By pleasing dogs, they hope to please Yama himself.
Alternatively, some people also believe that Kukur Tihar is just a way for Nepali people to show their appreciation to the man’s best friend. According to ABC Science, dogs might have been first domesticated around the region of Nepal and Mongolia, which tells you just how long people in Nepal co-existed with their doggie companions.
How is Kukur Tihar Celebrated?
Traditionally, people celebrate Kukur Tihar by bathing dogs and putting a streak of tilaka (vermilion) on their forehead and adorning them with flower garlands around their neck. Worshippers are known to offer special foods including meat, eggs, and other delicacies to dogs. While pet dogs are the centre of attention, people also felicitate dogs that perform special functions such as police dogs and community dogs in their neighbourhoods. Most importantly, it is considered a grievous sin if someone acts disrespectfully to any dog on this day.
No better way to celebrate a dog festival than with dogs in a shelter (Source: Reuters )
As dogs have become more and more important in our lives, the festival has also blossomed in its significance and expression. Beyond the rituals and customs, this dog festival has become a celebration of love, gratitude, and the beauty of the human-animal relationship. The festivities now see a blend of tradition and modernity, with social media brimming with portraits of garlanded dogs. For the Nepali people, it's become a reminder of the virtues of a dog - of their loyalty and unconditional love to their chosen humans. The festival has transcended religious and geographical boundaries and is now celebrated across the border in parts of India as well. Since 2016, Mexico has also embraced Kukur Tihar, with many Mexicans annually bringing their pets to Mexico City’s Revolution Square in Puerto Vallarta, garlanding and smearing tilak on them.
Mexico celebrating Kukur Tihar in 2018 (Source: Nepal Times)
Learnings from Kukur Tihar for humans
Over the last couple of years, it has started to feel like people have become less tolerant of dogs and animals in general, thanks to the number of reports of conflicts in popular media. In times like these, festivals like Kukur Tihar have the potential to restore our faith in the human-animal bond. It asks us to take a moment and appreciate the presence of our dogs in our lives.
The festival can become a call to action for the global community to recognize the contributions of all animals, especially dogs. It can offer a lesson in empathy, a call to action for animal welfare, and a reminder of the joy that comes from co-existence. In a 2016 newspaper article, the President of Animal Nepal appealed to Nepalis "to take a pledge this Kukur Tihar, to not just worship your pets on this day but to do the right thing for them all year round. Unchain and uncage your dogs, learn to interact with them, take them for walks, understand their feelings, …"
The festival can become a call to action for the global community to recognize the contributions of all animals, especially dogs. It can offer a lesson in empathy, a call to action for animal welfare, and a reminder of the joy that comes from co-existence. In a 2016 newspaper article, the President of Animal Nepal appealed to Nepalis "to take a pledge this Kukur Tihar, to not just worship your pets on this day but to do the right thing for them all year round. Unchain and uncage your dogs, learn to interact with them, take them for walks, understand their feelings, …"
Kukur Tihar can become a symbol of the human-dog relationship (Source: Reuters)
And I agree with him, if you are someone who loves dogs and animals in general, it’s my humble request from you to take a moment on this festival of dogs, and do what you can for all animals around you. Educate yourself on their behaviour, speak up against cruelty to animals, visit a shelter and spend some time with homeless animals looking for homes or do anything nice to any non-human creature around you. Let’s embrace the spirit of Kukur Tihar and change an animal’s life for the better, even if it’s just for a day. They deserve it!
Sources and further reading:
Sources and further reading:
- "Dogs get their day at Hindu festival dedicated to them in Nepal," Reuters, 2022
- "Kukur Tihar: Nepal's Heartwarming Festival of Dogs," Medium, Illumination.
- "Nepal's festival that celebrates dogs," BBC News, 2018.
- “The essence of Kukur Tihar”, The Himalayan Times, 2016
- “Kukur Tihar”, Wikipedia article
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