Dogs are always known for true love and caring.
This dog ‘malu’ proved it again.
She gave company to Sabarimala pilgrim Naveen in his 600 km journey.
On December 8 which is the second day of his nearly 700km pilgrimage by foot from the Mookambika temple in Kollur, Udupi to the Sabarimala shrine in Pathanamthitta, Naveen first saw Malu.
Malu was just a stray dog that was curious about a bearded man walking along the road.
A 38-year-old Naveen who hails from Kozhikode in Kerala made 17 days journey by foot which was more than 600 km. The incredible part is that malu was with him almost every step of the way.
This Is How It All Started
Naveen was worried about several stray dogs approaching him especially in the morning hours, and invariably shood them off.
“It was after nearly 80 kilometers or so, that I noticed her. She walked towards me from the opposite direction and stopped when she reached right in front of me. I did try shooing her off many times, but she would just not go,” Naveen tells The News Minute.
“After we crossed Kozhikode, I was positive that she would not leave my side. She is a very persistent and clever dog. She would patiently wait for me when I went off to have food or take a bath. She would safely guard my thirumudikettu (bag of articles for worship) and sleep beside me at night,” Naveen says.
Malu As An Alarm
Starting off at 3am, Naveen used to walk an average of 50km a day till he could reach a temple that would serve as his resting place for the night.
“My phone’s display had stopped working and I had overslept that morning. She tugged at my mundu, and repeatedly barked at me so that I wake up,” Naveen says.
KSRTC Employee Helps In Getting Permission
When he made his return journey on December 23, Malu came and seated right next to him in a KSRTC bus.
An employee at the KSRTC bus stand in Pamba suggested Naveen to meet the special officer in order to make arrangements to take Malu along with him.
"The special officer was glad to hear our story and readily agreed to let her on the bus. I bought a ticket for Rs 460 for Malu and she fell asleep the moment we boarded. She did not wake up until we reached home late in the night," Naveen recounts.
Now, Malu has made herself at home in a large cardboard box in Naveen's house in Beypore.
Really adorable!! Isn’t it?