Kukur Tihar

These are pictures from my first morning in Nepal last year.  Totally jetlagged my friend called up to me, "come come you are going to want to see this"!!, and I ran upstairs to see this little dog getting his tika.  Right now as I'm writing, it is morning in Nepal, and dogs all over the country are being adorned.  I'm working on a little marigold garland for my Claude right now, and if he is agreeable, I'll take his photo tomorrow morning when I give it to him.  What a happy day this was... just the second day of the festival.  

The second day is called Kukur Tihar or Kukur Puja (worship of the dogs). It is also called as Khicha Puja by the Newars.^[3] Dog, which is believed to be messenger of Lord Yamaraj, the God of death, is worshiped once a year on this day.  People offer garlands, tika and delicious food to the dogs, and acknowledge the cherished relationship between humans and the dogs. This day is also observed as Narka Chaturdashi.