Kukurdayi Temple: Hareshwar Roy

Hareshwar Roy,
Kukurdayi Temple: Hareshwar Roy

It is a common belief among the people living in the villages of Chhattisgarh that long ago, Chhattisgarh had days lasting six months and nights of equal duration. This story belongs to that time. A money-lender named Ramnath Sahu lived in a village. He maintained his family by trading in rice.

Once, due to a lack of rain, a severe famine struck Chhattisgarh. The paddy crop was completely ruined. Ramnath's business came to a complete standstill, and his financial condition became extremely pitiable. He became desperate for every single grain of food, and his family began to starve. Therefore, he went to a landlord (Malguzar) in a neighboring village to ask for a loan.

That landlord was very miserly and ruthless. Despite much pleading and entreaty, he was not ready to grant a loan to Ramnath. To obtain the loan, Ramnath ultimately had to pawn his dog, Tipu, with the landlord. It was agreed that Ramnath would take Tipu back when repaying the loan.

Tipu was a tall dog. He was very sharp, clever, and loyal. All night long, he guarded the landlord's mansion with great alertness. One night, a major burglary took place at the landlord's mansion. Thieves made off with a bundle containing thousands of rupees worth of jewelry and coins. When Tipu chased those thieves, they panicked and threw the bundle into a pond outside the village before fleeing. Tipu witnessed all of this.

Upon receiving news of the theft, a huge crowd of villagers gathered at the landlord's doorstep the next morning. The landlord was beating his chest and crying out, "Alas, I have been robbed! I am ruined!"

Meanwhile, Tipu came running and started pulling at the landlord's dhoti. Following Tipu, the landlord and the present villagers set off. Upon reaching the pond, Tipu jumped into the water. As he did this repeatedly, a few villagers stepped into the pond. The water was not very deep, so in a short while, a villager found a small bundle. It was the very same bundle of coins and jewelry belonging to the landlord.

Thanks to Tipu's presence of mind, the landlord was saved from financial ruin. Overjoyed, he wrote a letter addressed to Ramnath, describing the entire incident. Afterward, he tied the letter around Tipu's neck and set him free to return to Ramnath.

Tipu was extremely happy. After many days, he was going to receive his master's affection again. So, he ran all the way back to Ramnath. Seeing him, Ramnath thought that Tipu had run away from the landlord's place. He felt that this would severely tarnish his reputation. Consequently, blinded by rage, he struck Tipu forcefully on the head with a stick. The poor, innocent Tipu could not bear the blow and died instantly.

Right after this incident, Ramnath's eyes fell upon the letter tied around Tipu's neck. When he read the letter, he realized his grave mistake. At the end of the letter, it was written, "Dear Ramnath, your beloved Tipu has saved me from going bankrupt. I am immensely pleased. Therefore, I free you from your debt and am returning your Tipu to you."

Upon reading the letter, Ramnath was overcome with deep sorrow and began burning in the fire of remorse. Later, in memory of his beloved dog, he had a grand and massive temple constructed. This temple became popular by the name of Kukurdayi (Dog God) Temple. Ever since, a grand fair is organized near this temple every year on the day of Akshaya Tritiya.
Location: B-37, City Homes Colony, Jawahar Nagar Satna, Madhya Pradesh, India
Dr. Hareshwar Roy beautifully connects global research with local literature. Born in 1964 in Jamuaon (Bhojpur, Bihar), he studied at Patna University and earned his Ph.D. from APS University, Rewa. Currently, he serves as Professor of English at Government P.G. College Satna, Madhya Pradesh. Dr. Roy bridges two worlds: in class, he explains international migration and literary history, while in his heart, he keeps the rich spirit of the Bhojpuri language alive. He has published over 45 research papers focused on Indian Diaspora Writing. As an author in English, he has written Diasporic Articulation in the Novels of M.G. Vassanji, A Study of M.G. Vassanji's Novels, Varieties of Indianity in the Works of M.G. Vassanji and Rohinton Mistry, Diaspora and Indian Diaspora: A Brief Study, Short Notes of English Literature - I and Short Notes of English Literature - II. Rooted in his soil, he is a celebrated Bhojpuri poet featured on 'Kavita Kosh' and in popular collections like Hamar Pahchan Ha Bhojpuri, Hamra Pyar Ho Gail, and Bhojpuri Kavitayein. Ultimately, his life and writings serve as an inspiring example of how academic scholarship and local roots thrive together perfectly.

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