Nabarangpur: Dogs can be more than just best friends of human beings. Ramraman Panda of Nabarangpur district proved it by performing the last rites of Chandu, his pet dog, who was indeed a part of his family.
Ramraman had brought Chandu - a Doberman - into his house when it was 17 days old and treated it like his own child. The dog was an important member of the family, which constituted of Ramraman, his wife Rasmita and their two daughters.
So close was their bond that Ramraman's daughters used to tie Rakhi to Chandu on the occasion of Rakhi Purnima. The people in the family were able to understand the feelings of Chandu even if it was unable to speak.
It was since last few days that Chandu's health condition deteriorated and the dog breathed its last. His body was carried to the funeral pyre which was lit by Ramraman himself.
"Chandu was like our son, I used to feed him with my own hands and he even celebrated all the festivals with our two daughters. When he was on his death bed, I read out Bhagavad Gita to him," said Rasmita.
It was a shock for the Panda family, who broke down in tears while performing the funeral of Chandu.
"When people asked me about my children, I always told them I have two daughters and a son. He was nurtured in the family. I never considered him as a dog," said Ramraman.