MALAPPURAM: In Edavanna, the story of a canine’s unwavering loyalty is drawing poignant comparisons to Hachiko, the Japanese Akita that became a global symbol of devotion after waiting nearly 10 years at a railway station for its master even after the latter’s death.
Unlike Hachiko, the stray in Edavanna is not waiting for its master, but for an elderly woman, who had shown it simple acts of kindness, and who, sadly, passed away earlier this month.
On April 16, 65-year-old Amina collapsed near the gate of her house while returning from her daughter’s home. As dusk fell and her absence went unnoticed, it was the street dog that went searching. The animal eventually found Amina lying unconscious and began barking persistently, alerting relatives. Though Amina was rushed to a hospital, she was declared dead.
In the days since, the dog’s grief has been deeply moving. Nearly a week after her passing, it continues to visit Amina’s grave, lying there for hours as if in mourning.
Ramakrishnan, a neighbour, said Amina’s son-in-law had accompanied her home but left after dropping her at the gate as he was in a hurry. With darkness setting in, no one noticed her lying there.
“The street dog found her and started barking. The dog ran to the relatives and led them to Amina. Though she was taken to the hospital quickly, she could not be saved. When her mortal remains were brought back, the dog stayed near her and even followed the funeral procession to the burial ground. From that day, it spends most of its time near the grave,” Ramakrishnan said.