Kukur

Kukur
Dog bedecked with flower garlands
Official name	कुकुर तिहार
Also called	Festival of Dogs, Worship of Dogs
Type	Religious
Celebrations	Honouring dogs
Observances	Prayers and religious rituals
Date	Varies according to the Gai lunar calendar
Frequency	Annual

Kukur (Mahanan: कुकुर तिहार) is an annual Gai celebration originating from Mahana which falls at the beginning of Autumn in accordance to the Gai Lunar Calendar (Late September). On this day people worship dogs to appease Mana, the deity of death, as they are believed to be her messengers. People use this day to contact loved ones lost through dogs. Dogs are often dressed with tilaka and wear flower garlands around their necks. Worshippers often offer the dogs food in the form of meat, milk, eggs, and dog food. It is seen as a great sin for someone to act against a dog on this day.

The celebration is celebrated worldwide by Mahanan and Gai diaspora.

Background

Kukur is the most important part of the Gai Autumn Festivals, or the Śarada Utsava, being the final of three days of celebration. Kukur is the most celebrated of the three days of celebration, being dedicated to Mana, a deity whom many Gai followers respect. The other days of the Śarada Utsava celebrate other animals such as the Red Panda and notably the cow.

In the ancient versions of the Pustaka, a sub-story within the book titled: "Timrī āmā ṭhulō Chin" displayed a young prince of the Aayan Empire passing away and being taken to heaven by Mana in the form of a dog. In the story, he escorted the young prince with a pack of friendly dogs who lead him into heaven safely. When he arrives to the gates of heaven, Kuladara asks the boy to leave the dog that followed him outside the gate with him. The Prince refused to go without the dog, which lead to Kuladara showing mercy and letting the first non-human into the part of heaven.

It is believed that since then dogs are the messangers between Kuladara and heaven to Eurth, with the young prince's original dog being the guard for heaven. Because of this, people began to treat dogs better in the country as they believed this lead to an easy path to heaven, as they will be guided by the dogs. This has lead to an estimated 0.8% of the country's dog population living stray.

Celebrations

Kukur is celebrated as the last of the Śarada Utsava celebrations, and is specifically the last holiday celebrated on the last day of summer and the opening day of autumn each year as it is said to be the day that the dogs are in the closest touch with heaven.

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 the small number of stray dogs in the country are also honoured, with a majority of strays found during the day adopted.

Gallery

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  A dog decorated with tilaka and flowers in Ghobari

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  Dog bedecked with flower garlands

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  A puppy in Delamaria, dressed up by Mahanan immigrants who celebrated there.