Channapatna Dog Temple: A shrine that worships our canine friends
India is not called "incredible" just for its diversity in language, or religion, but also for its wonders, vastly different weather conditions and bizarre rituals. One such example is a unique temple where a very amiable and cuddly animal deity is worshipped. We are talking about the man's most faithful friend, dog.
The Dog Temple in Karnataka, famous as the Channapatna Dog Temple, is situated in the small village of Agrahara Valagerahalli in the city of Channapatna in Karnataka. Locally known as the ‘Nai Devasthana,’ where ‘Nai’ means ‘Dog’ in the local language of Kannada, it was built in 2010 by a businessman named Ramesh. But why are dogs being worshipped in this temple? Let’s find out.
Two mysterious dogs guarded the temple
Channapatna's history of dog worship is experiential. For generations, the town revered and worshipped Goddess Kempamma, the local village deity. According to locals, Ramesh, a successful businessman, donated money to the village to build a temple honouring Goddess Kempamma. Two stray canines appeared out of nowhere when the work on the temple compound got underway. As the temple construction progressed, villagers grew accustomed to the dogs lazing around the temple premise. The temple was built quickly, and as soon as the temple was completed, the two dogs mysteriously vanished without a trace!
The command of the goddess
According to folklore, Goddess Kempamma appeared in one of the villager’s dreams and commanded him to locate the dogs that had vanished from the hamlet to safeguard her temple from evil. When villagers couldn't find the missing canines, they decided to build a tiny shrine as per mother Kempamma's command. Thus, a modest marble shrine with two dogs standing next to each other came into existence. Since then, villagers believe these two canines guard the village and protect it from evil. They offer them fruits and flowers with utmost devotion and conduct a pooja in the evening three times a week. Strange, but true! However, the town of Channapatna where this temple stands, has much more to offer than this canine shrine.
Channapatna, the toy land of Karnataka!
Locally known as Gombegala Nagara (toy city), Channapatna is situated in Ramnagara, Karnataka. Toys in Channapatna have a long history of fame dating back to Tipu Sultan's times (the mid-1700s). Tipu Sultan persuaded the Persians to visit India and teach the artists the craft of creating wooden toys. A man named Bavas Miyan is regarded as the originator of the Channapatna toys and is renowned for his lifelong dedication to assisting local artists in toy making and introducing new Japanese technology to improve the toys.
The toys made in Channapatna are known for their adorable designs and impeccable craftsmanship. These toys are primarily made of ivory wood, pinewood, and sandalwood, which give them a polished appearance, and add natural colour to them. The Channapatna toys garnered significant global momentum after the US President and the First Lady visited the city in 2010 during their first trip to India and delightedly bought some of these toys.