If the Lord works in mysterious ways, his representatives on earth – politicians – aren’t very far off. Last week, an announcement for a midday meal scheme was made – not for humans, but for stray dogs of the Garden City of India. The news, like every other in the country, brought up a string of opinions from both sides – from jubilation to outrage. Thankfully, no dogs were invited to TV studios, but when has that ever stopped some humans from howling on camera?
If X is a fire, I’m the soggy towel left in the rain. Some people hailed the decision as a landmark move for animal rights. Others bemoaned the lack of basic human rights before we move on to trickier frontiers like animal rights. Personally, I’m learning NOT to have opinions on every topic. That being said, I admit I have always gotten along fabulously with stray dogs.
It all began when I was in Himachal Pradesh, a state where everything and everybody is beautiful. We were trekking up a hill, and a dog joined us silently. Like the final story in the Mahabharata, as the Pandavas walk up to heaven with a dog in tow, we climbed up the hill, and the dog was content to give us company. We had no snacks or biscuits to offer, only pats and love. That is when I understood that dogs aren’t just man’s best friend, they’re also man’s greatest acquaintances.
Since then, I have been friends with the local strays in every city I have lived in or visited. It’s the cheapest therapy available. You get to play with the local dogs, your brain releases oxytocin, and you get a friend whose stories you don’t have to ignore on Instagram. People often ask me –Why stray dogs? I think it’s because they’re the last creatures who’ve stuck with us through our concrete-jungle madness. We cut down forests, drove out wildlife, filled the skies with smog, and these chaps just shrugged and said, “Alright, we’ll sit next to your dosae cart and bark at your SUVs.” You’ve got to respect that. They’re survivors. Crows, too, by the way. They never get the same PR as dogs, but they’re just as smart, social, and judgmental. If we ever build a society from scratch after the apocalypse, it’ll be led by stray dogs and crows, while humans argue about which filter to use for their disaster selfies.
That said, the stray dog issue in India is undeniably serious. Unchecked populations, poor vaccination, and occasional aggressive behaviour have turned them from companions to controversies. So when the stray dog feeding scheme was announced, I braced myself for chaos. But I must admit – I was impressed by the menu. Chicken and rice. Not biryani, mind you. We are not monsters.
I imagine a group of strays sitting around like old uncles at a canteen, discussing politics over their midday meal. “The quality of chicken is not so great, da. I told you to move to Indiranagar.”. Of course, critics will argue: Shouldn’t we fix potholes, traffic, and garbage before feeding dogs gourmet lunches? To them, I say – have you ever tried fixing traffic in Bengaluru? Feeding dogs is the easier option. And arguably more effective. Every dog has its day. And in Bengaluru, that day now includes a hearty lunch. As for me, I will continue to vibe with the strays while not having an opinion. Unless they ever launch a breakfast scheme for cats. Then, we riot.
(The writer’s views are personal)