If You Have An Undying Love For Dogs And All They Do, This Festival In Nepal Is For You

by N/A, 10 years ago | 3 min read

Diwali, one of the great celebrations in the Hindu calendar, is a five-day autumn festival more widely known as "the festival of lights." Each day has its own focus, while specific observances vary from one denomination of Hinduism to another. But regardless of denominational differences, Diwali is overarchingly a period of gift-giving, storytelling, and appreciation of the relationships humans have with all things.

In Nepal, their festival of lights called, "Tihar," is strongly similar to Diwali in many of its core traditions and rituals. But there is one major difference: the second day, Kukur Tihar, is dedicated entirely to dogs.

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During Kukur Tihar, Nepalis celebrate and acclaim dogs for their role in our lives, both historically and presently.

Nepali Hindu practice holds dogs as the envoy of "Yama," the lord and judge of death. In short, dogs are seen as messengers of death. They do not consider dogs to be feared because of this, but rather revered.

To clarify, this doesn't mean that the presence of a dog portends death, but rather, that dogs have a preternatural awareness of the impending death of others as Yama's messengers, and convey it through their body language and behavior.

And so, because of their integral roles in both Hinduism, and their own lives relationally, Nepalis celebrate dogs for their devotion, loyalty, and connection to the afterlife.

Floral garlands called "mallas" are draped around each dog's neck - even strays - as a mark of dignity and respect.

They're also given a red marking on their foreheads, called a "tika," which is a sign of sacredness and honor. Encountering a dog on Kukur Tihar with these markings is said to be a blessing on the soul.

Throughout the entire day, Nepalis offer them exquisite foods and additional mallas as a sign of their respect.

In short, while you may not personally agree with Hinduism as a religion, it's beautiful to see dogs celebrated for all that they do for us.