KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- The retired government worker spent Rs 80,000 on the structure which was installed in Sivaganga’s Manamadurai.
- The marble statue of the deceased Labrador was installed in January this year.
- The temple is open to the public and daily offerings are made to the dog statue. On special occasions, the deceased dog’s favorite food is served.
Muthu, an 82-year-old man from
The retired government worker spent Rs 80,000 on the structure which was installed in Sivaganga’s Manamadurai.
“I have more affection for my dog than for my child. Tom has been with me since 2010 but he passed away in 2021. My grandparents and dad were all dog lovers,” said the 82-year-old dog lover.
The marble statue of the deceased Labrador was installed in January this year.
Narrated by Muthu’s nephew Manoj Kumar IANS“Tom was bought by my brother Arun Kumar 11 years ago but we couldn’t keep him with us so after 6 months we gave him to our uncle, Tom was his companion forever. Both showered each other with love and it was inseparable.”
Tom developed health problems last year and did not respond well to treatment. He died in January 2022. Muthu said he spent almost 11 years with the Doggo.
After the dog’s death, the elderly man built a small temple to his beloved deceased friend on a farmland near Manamadurai. He reportedly spent Rs 80,000 from life savings to build the marble statue.
Photos of the statue were shared on Twitter by the ANI news agency.
Tamil Nadu | Muthu, an 82-year-old man, has built a statue in memory of his dog Tom in Sivaganga’s Manamadurai. “I… t.co/OxFCcyrp5g
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2022
The temple is open to everyone and daily offerings are made to the dog statue. On special occasions, the deceased dog’s favorite food is served.
The marble statue was reportedly built based on Tom’s photos taken by Muthu’s son and relatives.