INTRODUCTION
Dog Puja is being held at Nepal, which falls on the second day of Diwali, and this puja festival is known as Kukur Tihar, where pets including dogs and cats are treated with great respect, and puja would be performed by the priests. Mostly dogs only would participate in the festival, and some people would also bring their pet cats. These wonderful animals would be adorned with a Thilaka (Kum Kum) on their fore heads, and this type of festival would be celebrated by the Nepalis with very much happiness. Holy Arathi also would be shown before the dogs and cats, and some people would also neatly wear marvellous dresses and ornaments made out of plastic to their beloved dogs.
After the completion of the puja, food would be provided to the animals, and some people would also give a handshake to them. This festival would be generally held in public places, or in the houses of the wealthy people. Dogs are considered as an aspect of Lord Kalabhairva, an avatar of Lord Shiva, and people would mostly call the dogs are “BHAIRAVA”.
Dogs are very honest, faithful and affectionate animals, and they are ready to give up their lives also for safeguarding their masters. In our country also, we can celebrate the dog festival, since in India, lot of people are growing up their pet dogs in a nice manner. By honouring the dogs, unnecessary fear, and also our bad thoughts would be erased from our mind. We would get a fresh life, where we would be able to lead our life happily.
All the dog owners must treat these animals with kindness and in an affectionate manner, and they should never show their angriness over them. They also can worship their true friends (dogs), similar to the people in Nepal, during the next day of Deepavali. By worshipping the dogs, Lord Kalabhairava would be very much pleased with us, and he would shower his immense blessings on us.
It is also believed that dogs have the special powers, to identify the presence of ghosts and evil spirits in our homes, and would warn us by making a peculiar type of barking. It also knows about the occurrence of earth quakes and storms, and would bark loudly by seeing the skies.
“OM”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR
