A white and tan dog named Aloka sits in a parked car somewhere between Richmond, Virginia and Washington, D.C., watching snow fall through the window. He's wearing red pajamas. Inside the van, it's warm. Outside, 19 Buddhist monks in orange robes are walking through winter weather as part of a 2,300-mile journey across the United States calling for unity and peace.
Aloka isn't just any traveling companion. He was rescued during a peace walk in India three years ago, and he's been part of this movement ever since — so devoted that when the monks once tried to put him on a truck to safety, he jumped off and refused to leave. "He's a true hero," says Bhikkhu Pannakara, the spiritual leader of the walk.
The monks started in Fort Worth, Texas, over 100 days ago with Aloka walking alongside them. But the dog had to step back from the trail earlier this year after a leg surgery. Veterinarians at a clinic provided the care free of charge. Since then, Aloka has been healing, joining the monks in short walking stints as he recovered.
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Start Your News DetoxAloka at the start of the Peace Walk. Photo courtesy of Aloka the Peace Dog/Instagram
Winter brought a new challenge. The monks press forward through snow and cold, but Aloka — who's already survived being hit by a car and illness — now has a different role. He wears Snoopy-adorned puffer coats, dog booties, and sweaters. When the weather gets too harsh, he rides in an escort van that travels alongside the walkers.
Aloka wears warm clothes during winter pitstops. Photo courtesy of Aloka the Peace Dog/Facebook
From inside that van, Aloka takes his work seriously. Recent updates from his Instagram account describe him keeping "a very patient watch" from the escort car, sitting calmly and alert, "guarding the venerable monks from his seat as he followed them through the beautiful white snow." After a long day of what the monks call "patrolling" through the windows and meeting new people along the route, he curls up in blankets to recharge.
Aloka rests in the van on a snowy evening. Photo courtesy of Aloka the Peace Dog/Instagram
The monks are nearing their final destination in Washington, D.C. Aloka will get there too — whether on foot or from the warmth of his van, he'll be there, watching over them.
