Nepal celebrates Kukur Tihar, a unique festival dedicated to dogs. Service dogs at the Nepal Police Canine Division are honoured with VIP treatment for their crucial roles in search, rescue, and crime solving alongside their human counterparts.
Nepal Celebrates Kukur Tihar With Service Dog Honours
Foreign tourists, along with locals and the Nepal Police, on Sunday worshipped dogs on the second day of Tihar, commonly known as “Kukur Tihar”, the festival of dogs, giving them VIP treatment. At the Canine Division of the Nepal Police, the service dogs paraded and showcased skills of finding clues and evidence to solve criminal cases; they were honoured with garlands, treats, flowers and vermillion powder.
The dogs in the school also played a crucial role in rescuing and finding those buried in the August 2026 Bhotekoshi floods. A service dog named “Leo” was conferred the “Dog of the Year” title for providing its skills in search and rescue operations after the flood, which has still left over 5000 missing. Honouring the service dogs for their service, the canine office also conferred medals to those who performed best in their field of specialisation, solving the crime mysteries, gathering the evidence, aiding search and rescue, and catching the narcotic traders.
Voices From the Celebration
“This morning we came to the Police Canine division and watched the dogs being celebrated. We watched the show of their skills and the dogs are very talented,” Gerome, a tourist who took part in the celebration, told ANI. Further adding, “It is the first time, and it has been really incredible. We came all the way to Nepal specifically just for this day to celebrate the dogs, so we are very happy.”
The Canine Division of Nepal Police has been organising a ceremony annually honouring their service dogs for their service and contribution. Amongst dozens of dogs in the division, which also performs as a training school for them, one of the dogs was conferred with the title of “Dog of the Year” based on its role in solving the cases. The dog training school has brought dogs from abroad and some bred here, trained and prepared for investigation.
Cultural Significance of Dogs in Nepal
Dogs, regarded as guardians and messengers of Yama, lord of death, are offered garlands, bread, and are worshipped with vermilion powder and flowers. “Seeing the dogs being celebrated and their handlers have a special connection with them; people come to Nepal to climb the mountains, and we are here to see the dogs,” another tourist, Jane, told ANI.
The Rigveda, one of the Vedas in the Hindu religion, says that Samara, the mother of dogs, assists Indra, the ruler of heaven, in retrieving stolen cattle. There are many stories and tales behind the celebration and links believed to have been established between humans and dogs. The Rigveda, one of the Vedas in the Hindu religion, states that Samara, the mother of dogs, assisted Indra, the ruler of heaven, in retrieving stolen cattle.
Along with this, it is also believed that the dog who accompanied Dharmaraj Yudhisthir on his journey to heaven in the mythological grand epic Mahabharata has a close relationship with mankind. In the same book, there is a plot of Yudhisthir’s refusal to enter heaven without his devoted dog, which represents the concept of Dharma and the path of righteousness.
Honouring the role played by dogs in Nepal, on the Second day of Yama Panchak or Tihar, pet or stray dogs are worshipped early in the morning for the devotion and sincerity they have shown. The canine, which is known for its trust sentry as well as the faithful companion of the human since ancient times is worshipped annually in Nepal. (ANI)
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