Yamagarni village in Nipani taluk of Belagavi district recently witnessed a strange sight. A jubilant crowd paraded a black indie dog covered in garlands and held a feast in its honour. For the villagers, the return of the dog, which had been lost, is a miracle.

Fondly called Maharaj, the animal which is well past its prime, was lost in the crowd in the pilgrimage town of Pandharpur in South Maharashtra, but made its way back to the village in Belagavi in North Karnataka, travelling nearly 250km on its own.