If you haven’t heard of it, Kukur Tihar is a Hindu holiday which celebrates that miraculous and much fussed over creature known as the dog.
It is, more specifically, the second day of Tihar (also known as Diwali), a five-day festival of lights holiday celebrated in Nepal and the Indian states of Assam and Sikkim.
Sunday, November 5, the coastal Jalisco city of Puerto Vallarta will host its very own Kukur Tihar celebration, which will pay special homage to Frida, the rescue dog who skyrocketed to fame following its heroic exploits in the aftermath of September’s earthquake in Mexico City.
Aside from its religious significance, the event’s organizer, Martha Dau, views the holiday’s celebration as an educational opportunity.
“It’s important to inform the public about the respect we owe to dogs; we believe that a human who doesn’t harm animals is less likely to harm another human,” explained Dau.
The relationship between dogs and people is important in the Hindu religion, a relationship that forms Kukur Tihar’s central raison d’être. Food and garlands of flowers are gifted to cherished canines and their fur is sometimes decorated with the tilaka, the traditional Hindu forehead mark.
Sunday’s festivities, which include an exhibit on the festival, opportunities for dog adoption and educational talks, will happen at El Jardin de la Luna, Hotel Puerto de Luna, 5 p.m. Admission is free. Dogs must wear collars with their names written on them.