New Delhi: What started out as the chance rescue of a stray dog by a group of Buddhist monks on a 100-day Walk for Peace has now evolved into an inseparable bond. The Indian Pariah dog is now accompanying the monks thousands of miles away, on their ongoing US leg of the walk.
Aloka, as he is affectionately called, has become an Internet sensation since, with videos of him cheerfully walking with the group of monks.
An Instagram account, @alokathepeacedog, launched in his name in December has garnered widespread attention, gaining more than 1.4 lakh followers in less than a month. A Facebook account in his name has more than 3.5 lakh followers.
Aloka’s Instagram profile has 140 posts. Its first video has more than 4,000 likes and over 100,000 views now.
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‘Dog of peace’
A post on his Facebook page shares some details about Aloka. “Many people often ask about Aloka’s breed! While we aren’t exactly sure, we estimate he is about 4 years old and likely an Indian Pariah dog.”
“His journey is truly special—he was once a stray wandering in India who began following the Venerable Monks. He walked with them for over 100 days across India, very much like the #WalkForPeace we are on today! Though his exact birthday remains a mystery, his loyalty and peaceful spirit are clear to everyone he meets.”
One of the early videos on the Instagram account captures his unexpected encounter with a hog. Instead of getting aggressive and barking, Aloka is seen trying to interact with him in a playful way. “If Aloka can play with a wild boar, there is zero doubt in my mind that is the dog of peace,” a user commented on the video.
Life in the US
His first video walking with the monks was published around three weeks ago. In some of the videos that followed, Aloka is seen looking straight into the camera, as if smiling and posing, in others he is captured just sitting with the monks, sunbathing.
One video shows Aloka, in white-collared black sweater, leading the group, cheerfully walking with them, without showing any signs of tiredness. The video got more than two million views on Instagram.
The Buddhist monks are currently walking for peace from Fort Worth to Washington D.C., covering more than 1,300 miles. As it gets colder during these months in the US, Aloka is at times put in an RV van for his safety and better health.
But, by his looks and actions, he makes it abundantly clear, he prefers walking to sitting or being put into a luxury car. The monks care about the dog, hence they want him to be in his best health. When put inside the car, the window seat is his favourite as he watches the monks walk for peace.
With the monks, he visits new temples. He waits for them patiently as they pray.
While walking with the monks, Aloka also gets a lot of attention from passersby, some of whom offer him snacks and treats. He wags his tail, as if asking for more.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)