SPECIAL FEATURES:
Police dogs blessed during Tihar Festival [Photos]
Tue, Nov 13 2012 at 10:40 AM
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Photo: Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images
Blessing of the canines
Nepalese police dogs wear marigold garlands and vermillion pigment on Nov. 13 during the local Tihar festival in Kathmandu. Tihar is the Nepalese equivalent of Diwali, an important five-day festival celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs and Arya Samajists. Each day of the festival is dedicated to different religious figures including cow, crow and dog, which signifies the relationship between human beings, god and animals.
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Photo: Prakash Mathema/AFP/Getty Images
Honoring the messengers
Nepalese police officers festoon dogs for the special occassion. During different days of the festival, it is customary for people to offer blessings to each animal. Crows, which are considered the messengers of Yamaraj, the god of death, are celebrated on the first day. The second day of Tihar is dedicated to dogs, and typically a Hindu will celebrate these loyal creatures, feeding them treats and taking breakfast only after the dogs have finished.
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What an absolutely adorable festival! I wish there was a festival like that that happens here regularly in the U.S.
Nice looking Shepherds! Not the crooked hind legged ones you see over here.
They are too cute to need face paint. They might like to play tug of war with the garland though. Give them a biscuit too..