Arjun Sagar Gupta (Photo | EPS)
NEW DELHI: The notes played here won’t just be for entertainment but also for a purpose. It’s a shout-out in support of Indie dogs aka desis, as their numbers continue to deplete despite much awareness and subsequent increase in responsiveness on the matter. Without a doubt, in the recent past, there has been a systematic positive shift in the treatment meted to desi dogs, but the problem is still far from addressed.
Therefore, two people—musician Arjun Sagar Gupta, and Founder, We Exist, and The We Exist Foundation Tejshree Savara, have collaborated to present a space with hope-filled melodies born out of their aching heart for these dogs. While Gupta plays a range of jazz standards, Savara tunes in to raise funds.
The event comes with a spark. There will be no time-consuming auctions, no patronising lectures, and not a trace of commercialism. There are food and drinks based on pop culture dogs, quirky products, and puppies for adoption. Funds raised will go towards spaying and neutering drives, vaccination camps and awareness camps.
It’s time to give these dogs a shot at a good life. “It will celebrate dogs of all lineages and identities and talking briefly about the foundation’s project titled Mapping the Canine Heritage of the Indian Sub- Continent,” says Savara who also wears the hat of an Arts, Antiquities and Cultural Heritage Law Legal Advisor.
The issue of diminishing desi dog population cannot be undermined. How many of us can distinguish a Gaddi from a Kanni, or a Rajapalayam from a Kombai? Many of these breeds have become extinct and others are on their way, including the Rampur hound, which was once a favourite among the royals.
The Bakharwal is another. The male dog of this breed is in such high demand in the cities that the females don’t have enough mating options in their local area.
Our obsession with foreign breeds has taken a dangerous turn with the power of money discounting the duty of love. The arrival of foreign breeds during the Raj led to the disappearance of breeds such as Blue-coloured Lut, Alangu and the Gazelle Hound, she says. “To create an environment where foreign and indigenous dogs can co-exist, the foundation is setting the stage for change,” says Savara. August 5, from 1 pm to 3 pm, Piano Man Jazz Club in Safdarjung Enclave Market.
