KATHMANDU, Nov 8: Kukur Tihar is being celebrated across Nepal today, with people honouring dogs by putting garlands and tika on them and offering special food. The festival recognises the bond between humans and dogs, which extends far beyond religious tradition.
From guarding farms and homes to helping police investigate crimes, detect explosives and narcotics, and search for people trapped under disaster debris, dogs have long served as reliable companions to humans.
According to Hindu belief, dogs are regarded as messengers of Yamaraj, the god of death. The Mahabharata also recounts how a dog accompanied Yudhishthira on his journey to heaven, symbolising loyalty and devotion. Dogs are also associated with Lord Bhairav, which explains their special place in Tihar celebrations.
Beyond religious beliefs, dogs have earned people's trust through their loyalty, alertness, protective instincts and close bond with humans.
From farmers’ fields to business premises
In rural communities, dogs have traditionally helped farmers guard fields, livestock sheds and homes. They alert families to wild animals and other potential threats, making them particularly useful in isolated settlements and livestock farming communities.
In urban areas, dogs are increasingly kept to guard homes, warehouses, business premises and other property. Trained security dogs serve as dependable guards for both households and commercial establishments.
Kukur Tihar, the festival of dogs, being celebrated (with photo...
The police force’s four-legged investigators
In Nepal, dogs also play an important role in security and law enforcement. Nepal Police has been deploying specially trained dogs through its Canine Office for criminal investigations, weapons and explosives detection, narcotics identification, and search and rescue operations.
The organised use of dogs in Nepal Police dates back to 2026 BS. Canine services have since expanded to various parts of the country.
Tracker dogs help investigators in cases involving murder, theft, robbery and kidnapping by following scents and identifying trails at crime scenes.
Specially trained bomb detection dogs identify explosives, while narcotics detection dogs help locate illegal drugs. Search and rescue dogs are deployed to find people missing or trapped following disasters.
According to Nepal Police, canine units also operate at airports, border points, important installations and areas facing specific security challenges.
A nose that detects what human eyes cannot
A dog's most remarkable ability is its exceptional sense of smell. It can identify people, objects and substances through scents that humans cannot detect. This ability makes dogs valuable in criminal investigations and security operations.
According to information published by the Nepal Police Canine Office, trained dogs help narrow the scope of investigations by tracing scents and footprints at crime scenes. They also play a major role in detecting narcotics and explosives.
Dogs are deployed at airports to strengthen passenger security and prevent illegal transportation of goods, as well as at border areas for surveillance. Police records also cite cases in which dogs helped detect large quantities of narcotics concealed in cargo and luggage.
Finding lives beneath disaster debris
Dogs are also valuable in locating people trapped or missing after earthquakes, landslides, floods and other disasters. Their ability to detect human scent allows them to identify possible locations of survivors in places difficult for rescue workers and equipment to reach.
Nepal Police provides specialised training for search and rescue dogs, which are deployed to locate people buried under debris or reported missing during disasters.
Worship for a day, responsibility throughout year
Kukur Tihar offers an opportunity to express affection, respect and gratitude towards dogs. Garlands, tika and food symbolise this cultural recognition. However, responsible treatment and animal protection should extend beyond the festival.
Whether guarding a farmer's livestock, protecting a business, assisting police investigations or searching for survivors after disasters, dogs continue to serve humans in many ways.
Kukur Tihar is also a reminder that despite advances in technology, science and modern security systems, dogs remain trusted companions because of their loyalty, alertness and ability to work alongside humans.
Honoured with garlands on one day of the year, dogs continue to protect and serve people throughout the remaining 364 days.
