Dog lost during a holy yatra walked 250 km across two states to reunite with human partner

A lost dog from Karnataka found its way back home to reunite with its human friend, after traveling nearly 250 km across Maharashtra and Karnataka.

The furry friend went missing during the annual Wari Padayatra to Pandharpur in Maharashtra, returned home to be a hero in Yamagarani village of Belagavi district. The black indie dog wrapped in garlands was cheered by a jubilant crowd, and a feast was hosted in its honor.

Affectionately known as Maharaj, the doggo got lost among the crowd in the pilgrimage town of Pandharpur in south Maharashtra but made its way back to the village of Belagavi in North Karnataka on its own, covering nearly 250 kilometers.

Jnandev Kumbar, a local from Yamagarani along with his friends started their yearly Wari Dindi in the last week of June. Surprisingly, his pet dog also joined the group this year. They went for around 10 days and arrived in Pandharpur on the eve of Ashadi Ekadashi.

Jnandev Kumbar stated that after the darshan at the Vithoba temple, he could not find the dog. When he went to look for him, some bystanders told him that the dog had gone with another group of people. Kumbar and his friends made an unsuccessful search for it in the holy town. Subsequently, they gave up their search and headed back home.

However, on July 29, everyone was overwhelmed with joy when the dog made its way back home. They arranged a public reception for their canine companion. They garlanded it and carried it across town in a procession from the Pandurang shrine to Kumbar Galli. They also planned a communal lunch for the residents.

“I think the dog travelled over 200 km looking for us. They say that God has given enough intelligence to dogs to find the right direction and routes, once they have seen them. We are happy that our dog has returned to us. We thank Lord Panduranga for having sent him back to us,” The Hindu quoted Jnandev Kumbar as saying. Kumbhar also described how he and the people were overjoyed as they greeted Maharaj’s return with a feast.