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20 OCTOBER 2006 - Doggie Days

BY RAI DHAN

Today, the 20th October 2006 is our Dog day. We celebrate this day because according to Hindu mythology lord Shivas next reincarnation is lord Bhairabh and we believe that dog is the vehicle of lord Bhairab and also the guard of lord Yama. Lord Yama is the god of death and we believe that if we worship dog lord Yama will take care of us after our death. People worship lord Bhairabh for the blessings of protecion of their homes and people. And this is the reason people worship dog for the protection of their homes and family.

Early in the morning we prepared food and then we went up to the stupa at around 8:30am. Our cook called all the dogs by their names like “puppy’’, “brownie’ , “tshering’’ and all those dogs and puppies rushed to our side in a second. We gathered all those dogs which are undergoing treatment and we started to worhip them one by one by putting some tikas (coloured powder which is used during the festival) on their forehead and garland (made up of flower marigold stitched on a thread) on their neck and prayed to get blessings from them. Then after we offered them food to eat. We noticed that few dogs seem uncomfortable with garland and trying to tear it. Perhaps these dogs are celebrating their days for the first time. All those dogs seem to be very happy wearing those colourful garland and tikas. Many of the visitors and tourist seemed to be enjoying by watching those dogs and taking pictures of them. What we ve felt today that all those street dogs were acting as a domesticated one not as previous as the last 6 months.
We missed u on this special occasion. I wish u were here on the dog festival. But I hope so u will be here next year.

Well for the completion of this auspicious occasion our Dr. B.Acharya , Gaurie Mukhia, Mr. U. Rai, Laxmi Rai , Our cook and his wife and son gave us a company to make it possible.

I wish we will continue to celebrate dog festival yearly .

Rai Dhanraj

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