MEERUT: In Secunderabad town of Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district, 60km from the national capital, lies a unique temple where the deity is a dog. Yes, that’s right.
Surrounded by Hindu gods, there’s a special grave there of the dog and its statue that the faithful in thousands every year pay obeisance to. The whole place lights up with celebrations during Diwali, Holi, Navratri and other Hindu festivals in the dog’s honour, drawing pilgrims from as far as Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and many parts of Uttar Pradesh.
When a TOI team visited the temple to learn more about the untold narrative behind the ‘dog temple’, local residents enthusiastically shared a story passed on through generations. Baba Chargera revered godman, had a close friendship with a dog nearly a hundred years ago. The holy man, who was blind, found comfort in his companion until he died.
Laxman Saini50, a devotee who looks after the temple, said, “Baba and the dog were inseparable. When Baba died, the dog too jumped into his grave. Though people pulled the dog out, it passed away hours later, unable to bear the separation. To honour their bond, our forefathers made a resting place for the dog beside the Baba’s samadhi and a statue was erected.”
For those who come to pray, the dog’s grave isn’t just a memorial – they believe it protects them from negative forces. People come to tie black thread on the dog’s statue in the hope that their wishes would be fulfilled.
For many in and around Sikandrabad, the temple is more than just a shrine. It’s a symbol of loyalty and love. It holds stories of hope, giving comfort to those who believe in the bond between man and his most faithful friend.
Surrounded by Hindu gods, there’s a special grave there of the dog and its statue that the faithful in thousands every year pay obeisance to. The whole place lights up with celebrations during Diwali, Holi, Navratri and other Hindu festivals in the dog’s honour, drawing pilgrims from as far as Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and many parts of Uttar Pradesh.
When a TOI team visited the temple to learn more about the untold narrative behind the ‘dog temple’, local residents enthusiastically shared a story passed on through generations. Baba Chargera revered godman, had a close friendship with a dog nearly a hundred years ago. The holy man, who was blind, found comfort in his companion until he died.
Laxman Saini50, a devotee who looks after the temple, said, “Baba and the dog were inseparable. When Baba died, the dog too jumped into his grave. Though people pulled the dog out, it passed away hours later, unable to bear the separation. To honour their bond, our forefathers made a resting place for the dog beside the Baba’s samadhi and a statue was erected.”
For those who come to pray, the dog’s grave isn’t just a memorial – they believe it protects them from negative forces. People come to tie black thread on the dog’s statue in the hope that their wishes would be fulfilled.
For many in and around Sikandrabad, the temple is more than just a shrine. It’s a symbol of loyalty and love. It holds stories of hope, giving comfort to those who believe in the bond between man and his most faithful friend.