MADURAI: Garlands, flowers, bangles, varieties of rice and sweets are a common sight in a baby shower event. But the same event held in Jaihindpuram on Sunday became the talk of the town, for it was the baby shower of a pet dog.
V Sakthivel works at the Jaihindpuram police station in Madurai city limit as a Sub Inspector of Police (IS). Having been fostering dogs all his life, Suji, a Dobermann, was his first female pet. "Suji has been with us for the past three years. She is the first female pet we have and so she is very close to our family. This is her first pregnancy and we want to celebrate it as how we would do for a female family member," said Sakthivel.
Having two sons, Sakthivel's family also considers Suji more of a daughter than a pet. True to his words, there were five varieties of rice cooked along with sweets, bangles and flowers. Suji was also given a bridal make up with colourful bindis on her forehead.
The family members blessed her one by one by wearing the bangles on her front legs and giving a tilak with sandalwood powder and kumkum. Sakthivel said that the due date is expected to be in December 11 or 12 and hopes for a safe pregnancy for Suji.