Mumbai : Veteran Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala recently shared a glimpse of Kukur Tihar, a unique Nepali festival that honors dogs for their loyalty and companionship, on her social media account.
In her post, she showed a dog adorned with marigold garlands and tikka while a priest offered prayers. Manisha wrote:
“Kukur Tihar, the heart of Nepal. Nowhere in the world is love celebrated quite like in Nepal. On Kukur Tihar, we honour dogs, our loyal friends and protectors, with garlands, tikka, and gratitude.”
Moreover, she added,
“It’s a day when even street dogs walk with pride, their eyes shining beneath marigolds, as if they know they’re sacred. Kukur Tihar reflects the soul of Nepal a culture where compassion is devotion and where every living being is divine. In the light of Tihar lamps, we are reminded to love gently, to honour deeply, and to live in harmony with all life.”
For context, Nepalis celebrate Kukur Tihar on the second day of the five-day Tihar festival, which coincides with Diwali. During the festival, devotees actively worship dogs as messengers of Yama, the god of death, acknowledging their loyalty.
Additionally, hailing from Kathmandu, Manisha often expresses pride in her country’s traditions. She belongs to a prominent political family her grandfather Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala became Nepal’s first democratically elected prime minister.
In Bollywood, Manisha debuted with Saudagar (1991) and later delivered acclaimed performances in 1942: A Love Story, Dil Se, Bombay, and Khamoshi: The Musical. Recently, she returned to acting with Sanju and the OTT series Heera Mandi, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
