Nepal Tourism Board launches Kukur Tihar reel contest

The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) announced on November 3 its first Kukur Tihar reel competition, a social media contest centered on the festival in which dogs are honored on the second day of Tihar. The creator of the best reel will receive a cash prize of Rs 100,000. The board says the aim is to promote Nepal’s cultural heritage and the bond between people and dogs to an international audience through digital content.

Republica and Nagarik News report that the competition is being held at the initiative of the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Khadga Raj Paudel ‘Ganesh’. Onlinekhabar describes it as part of a series of efforts to brand Nepal’s own art, culture and traditions internationally, and notes that worshipping dogs is a distinctive Nepali custom.

How to participate

Entrants must make an original, creative video reel related to Kukur Tihar and post it publicly on Instagram or Facebook. The reel must be in English, or carry English subtitles or an English voice-over.

Posts must also tag the NTB. Onlinekhabar, Nepal Press and Shilapatra say the Instagram handle is @nepaltourism and that Facebook posts should tag the board’s official page.

Reports differ on two details. On the hashtags, Nepal News English, Nepal Press and Shilapatra say entries must use #NepalFestival and #KukurTihar, while Onlinekhabar lists #NepalTourism and #KukurTihar. After posting, entrants must email a Google Drive link to the video, with permission to view and download it. Nepal News English, Nepal Press and Shilapatra give the address as photonepal@ntb.org.np; Onlinekhabar prints photonepa@ntb.org.np. The reports do not settle which is correct, so entrants may want to confirm both with the board’s official pages.

The deadline for submissions is November 21, 2026.

Promotional use

According to Nepal News English and Nepal Press, the NTB may use submitted videos in its own promotion and marketing across its platforms and media channels.