In this Haryana temple, people worship tomb of a dog

In this unique temple in Haryana's Panipat, devotees throng the Kukda Baba Dera to worship a tomb of a dog. There are many myths revolving around the origin of the temple and its unique tomb, but the most famous story is about how a dog earned immortality due to its faithfulness.

Panipat: At a distance of around 10 km from Panipat, underneath the shadow of the towering thermal plant, stands a unique temple, where the tomb of a dog is worshipped.

Throughout the year, devotees throng the Kukda Baba Dera in Untla village in large numbers, to offer prayers at the tomb.

While there are many myths revolving around the origin of the temple and its unique tomb, the most famous story is about how a dog earned immortality due to its faithfulness.Reciting the story, Krishan Nath, the presiding priest at the temple said, "Years ago, a man named Lakhi Banjara availed a loan from a merchant. He gave his dog as security. It so happened that the merchant was robbed, and it was the dog that helped him recover his goods which were hidden in a lake.""Grateful to the dog for its faithfulness, the merchant sent him back to Lakhi, with a note which said that his loan had been repaid. However, Lakhi did not read the note and killed the dog in a fit of rage. A saint then came across the note and blessed the dog with immortality, erecting a tomb in the village," he added.However, it is not just the residents of Untla who believe in the story. As many as 12 villages in the region place the tomb in high reverence. Be it the first harvest of the season, or the acquisition of new cattle, villagers always bring offerings to the tomb to seek blessings.Yet another belief with the villagers is that just a visit to the tomb is enough to rid a person of rabies and other diseases.Villagers claim that stories of the tomb have spread so far and wide, that pilgrims from as far as Delhi come over to the village to offer prayers at the tomb.