Kukur Tihar being celebrated today

KATHMANDU: Kukur Tihar, the festival dedicated to honoring dogs, is being observed across the country today with devotion and enthusiasm.

Recognized as loyal sentries and faithful companions of humans since ancient times, dogs are worshipped on this special day. As part of the celebration, people place garlands around their necks, apply tika on their foreheads, and offer them a variety of delicious foods as a gesture of gratitude and reverence.

This day also coincides with Narak Chaturdashi, a religious occasion on which devotees take ritual baths in rivers or ponds at sunrise. After the holy dip, people light a special oil lamp known as Yamadeep and place it facing south. The lamp is later set afloat in the water, in the belief that doing so ensures liberation from hell (Narak) after death.

In Hindu mythology, dogs are believed to be closely associated with Lord Yama, the god of death, and also feature prominently in the Mahabharat, where a loyal dog accompanies Dharmaraj Yudhisthir on his final journey toward heaven. This enduring connection between humans and dogs is celebrated and reaffirmed on this meaningful day.