Kathmandu, Oct 20; The second day of the great Nepali festival, Tihar, was celebrated today as Kukur Tihar, the day dedicated to honoring dogs.

Families across the country worshipped dogs, offering garlands, tika, and delicious food as part of the long-standing tradition that recognizes their loyalty and service.

According to religious belief, on the 14th day of the dark fortnight of Kartik, two dogs named Shyam and Saval guard the gates of Yamaraj, the god of death, and open the path to the afterlife. Kukur Tihar is observed to honor them. It is also believed that a dog from the Vaivasvat Manvantara lineage accompanied Dharmaraj Yudhishthira on his journey to heaven.

Today, dogs were worshipped as obedient and faithful protectors of homes. The Nepal Police Canine Division also held special rituals to honor its trained service dogs, recognizing their vital role in criminal investigations, explosives detection, narcotics control, search and rescue, and tracking operations. The division currently employs eight breeds of dogs for police work.

This evening, people are also celebrating Laxmi Puja, worshipping the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and fortune. This year, Kukur Tihar and Laxmi Puja fall on the same day.

People's News Monitoring Service