Kukur Tihar
कुकुर तिहार
Hindu
Dates
| 2083 BS | Date to be announced | Date to be announced |
| 2084 BS | Date to be announced | Date to be announced |
Kukur Tihar (Nepali: कुकुर तिहार), also known as Festival of Dogs or Day of the Dogs, is an annual festival originating from Nepal. It falls on the second day of the five-day festival of Tihar (usually in October or November).
This day is dedicated to the worship of dogs In Hindu belief, dogs are considered messengers of Yama, the god of death, and are therefore honored. Hindus offer prayers to please Yama by showing gratitude to dogs for their loyalty and protection.
On Kukur Tihar, dogs are adorned with tika on their foreheads and decorated with flower garlands. They are treated with great respect and offered a variety of foods, including meat, milk, eggs, dog foods, and traditional Nepali foods such as sel roti. It is believed that showing disrespect to dogs on this day is a sin.
Kukur Tihar is also celebrated by the Nepali diaspora around the world.
नेपालीमा
कुकुर तिहार वा नरक चतुर्दशी यमपञ्चकको दोस्रो दिन अर्थात् कार्तिक कृष्ण चतुर्दशीको दिन हो। यस दिन मृत्युका देवता यमराजलाई प्रसन्न पार्ने कुकुरको पूजा गर्ने गरिन्छ। कुकुरलाई यमराजको दूत मानिन्छ। कुकुर तिहारको दिन कुकुरलाई टीका तथा घाँटीमा फूलको माला लगाइन्छ। यस दिन कुकुरको सम्मान स्वरूप मासु, दूध, अण्डा र कुकुरको खाना लगायत विभिन्न खाद्य पदार्थहरू खान दिइन्छ। यस दिन कसैले कुकुरप्रति अनादरपूर्ण व्यवहार गरेमा त्यसलाई पाप मानिन्छ। कुकुरलाई आज्ञापालक एवम् रक्षकको रूपमा लिइन्छ। विभिन्न अपराध गर्ने अपराधीहरू पत्ता लगाउने, अध्ययन-अनुसन्धान गर्ने कार्य पनि कुकुरले गर्दछ। कुकुरले घरको रेखदेख तथा चोर-डाँकाबाट बचाउने कार्य गरी मानिसलाई सहयोग गर्दै आएको पाइन्छ। त्यसैगरी कुनै प्राकृतिक प्रकोप तथा दैवी विपत्ती हुने बेलामा पूर्वसूचना समेत दिन्छ। कुकुरलाई भैरवको बाहन पनि भनिन्छ। कुकुर तिहार विश्वव्यापी रूपमा गैर आवसीय नेपालीहरूले मनाउने गर्छन्।
Celebrations
Tihar is celebrated around October or November every year. During the festival, dogs are worshipped, bathed, and decorated with tilaka, which is made from kumkuma or gulal powders with rice and yoghurt. Flower garlands are draped around their necks and they are offered food including meat, milk, eggs, and dog food. Police dogs and stray dogs are also honoured. Kukur Tihar also celebrates the relationship between dogs and humans. It is considered a sin if someone behaves disrespectfully to a dog on this day.
