10/01/2026
Aloka’s journey began on the streets of Kolkata, India, when a stray dog was drawn to the sight of saffron Buddhist robes. The monks named him Aloka, meaning “light,” and he chose to walk beside them across more than 3,000 kilometers of sacred sites, mountains, valleys, heat, and cold.
Through injuries, crowded cities, freezing winters, and even being struck by a car, Aloka always found his way back. He waited patiently, urged the monks forward by gripping their walking cane, and refused to be left behind, bonded not by ownership but by trust.
As the monks now walk across America for peace, Aloka’s spirit continues with them. His story reminds us that loyalty, compassion, and companionship transcend language, species, and borders—and that peace begins by walking together.
