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It was the annual Kukur Puja festival in Nepal on Thursday, and dogs across the nation were draped in marigold garlands, marked with celebratory vermillion pigment and presented with overflowing platters of treats.
Like Diwali in India, the five-day Hindu festival of Tihar, being celebrated this week in Nepal, is a festival of lights. Unlike Diwali, Tihar includes the worship of creatures, and Kukur Puja, on its second day, is dedicated to dogs.
According to Hindu mythology, dogs are the messengers of Yamaraj, the god of death. His two four-eyed dogs are said to track down the dying and guard their path into his realm. Celebrating dogs is believed to please Yamaraj.
All dogs, including pets, strays and working dogs, are worshipped.
At the Armed Police Force canine center in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, service dogs lined up with their handlers. One by one, police officers marked their foreheads with vermillion, draped them in flowers and presented them with snacks in a ritual appreciation of their role in providing security.
“Today, we honor these dogs for their invaluable contributions as they determinedly assist in keeping us safe, from detecting explosives to rescuing those in need during disaster events,” said Ram Narayan KC, deputy branch chief of the canine division.
“Dogs are not just loyal friends of humans but also messengers of Yamaraj,” he told The Associated Press. “And to make Yamaraj happy, we all do the Kukur Puja (dog worship) on this special day of the year.”
After the ceremony, the service dogs exhibited their discipline and skills, jumping through rings of fire, standing on their hind legs and fetching balls.
Tihar is marked by five days of lighting oil lamps, as well as the celebration of creatures associated with the god of death, including humans.
The festival’s first day is dedicated to crows, with offerings of grain, seeds and sweets scattered on rooftops and streets.
On the third day, Nepali Hindus honor cows, also with treats, vermillion and flower garlands. The fourth day is dedicated to oxen.
The fifth and last day celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters, who give each other gifts and express love, respect and devotion in remembrance of the story of the goddess Yamuna.
When her brother died, Yamuna pleaded with the god of death not to take him away until the vermillion on his forehead had faded and the flower garlands had wilted, performing an elaborate ritual to extend her last moments with her sibling.
Peter Guo is a fellow on NBC’s Asia Desk, based in Hong Kong.
Lexi Tian is an intern on NBC News’s Asia Desk.
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