Baths, garlands for man’s best friend at Nepal’s canine festival

“Kukur Tihar is special among the different festivals,” said housewife Parbati Devkota after a worship ceremony for her pet, using the Nepali word “kukur” for dog.

Nepalese police officers march with their dogs before worshipping them during Kukur Tihar as part of Tihar celebrations at police canine training centre in Kathmandu. (REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar)

“I worship my dog every year on this day,” Devkota, 40, who carried a tray of sweets, flowers and vermilion powder, told Reuters in the capital, Kathmandu.

Families bathed the pets, tied marigold garlands round their necks, smeared their foreheads with auspicious vermilion and offered them special meals of sweets, meat, milk and rice.

Even stray dogs got offerings of food and garlands.

In Kathmandu, 47 dogs participated in a show for the occasion at the police canine training centre.

A dog is offered a garland while being worshipped by the Nepalese police officers during Kukur Tihar. (REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar)

It included competitions and obedience displays, such as navigating obstacles, high jumps and runs, said police official Ram Chandra Satyal.

“We also demonstrated how dogs are used in searching for narcotic drugs, criminals, hidden explosives, and rescue operations during disasters,” he added.

Hindus make up about 80% of Nepal’s population of 30 million.

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!

From the homepage

Rs 80 paid for every fraud voter deletion application in Aland seat, finds Karnataka SIT

Dalit man in Lucknow forced to ‘lick ground’ over urination claim, allege kin; accused arrested

Bengal SIR ahead, TMC cranks up rank and file: ‘Go with BLOs, check deletion of voters’