Me and this world - a tête-à-tête

 This is a difficult topic and I have been avoiding writing about this. But let's face it. When joined "the group", they were in process of registering themselves as NGO. They already had a group on WhatsApp and on Facebook. I helped them set up a Facebook page and Instagram handle. I also created a BlogSpot based website. The group did not have any shelter of their own but they had an ambulance, which I drove at times to transport the injured dogs. This is how I visited most of the shelters around Pune. I also volunteered at the Angel Lady's shelter in Pune city. It was or probably even in today's date remains to be the only center in the heart of the city. The way this shelter is maintained is a gigantic task. They literally clean every cage, every room every single day. The lady is up in the nights to attend to any injured dog that comes to her. I am not sure if she's medically qualified but the way she treats the dogs is nothing short of being an angel...

परवा फेसबुकवर प्रकाशच्या हॉटेलची जाहिरात टाकली आणि सुधीर दादा ने कंमेंट केली. त्यावर सगळेच तुटून पडल्यासारखे कॉमेंट करायला लागले. यात दादाचा पहिला मुद्दा असा होता कि गडावर का नॉन व्हेज देताय. त्यावर माझे त्यांच्याशी बोलणे झाले, त्याचा सारांश असा: "गडावर नॉन व्हेज अजिबात दिले जात नाही. खाली पाचनई किंवा खिरेश्वर मध्ये आधी सांगितले तर ते मिळते पण परत सणवार, यात्रेचे दिवस वगळून. हा माझा फर्स्ट हॅन्ड अनुभव आहे, फार जुना पण नाही अगदी या वर्षीचा फेब्रुवारी मधला. प्रकाशने गडावर देणार नाही असे ठामपणे सांगितले, खिरेश्वर मध्ये बाळू म्हणाला यात्रा तोंडावर आहे, घरी सामान येऊन पडले आहे, बाहेर शेतात देतो अगदीच हवे असेल तर." आम्ही घेतले नाही हा भाग निराळा. यावर काही जणांचे म्हणणे असे पडले कि पुर्वी गडावर बनत नसेल का? तर त्याचे उत्तर असे आहे कि अगदीच बनत असेल, त्रास देणारे वाघ, रान डुकरे, तितर वगैरे जे काही सहज उपलब्ध होत असेल ते सगळे नक्कीच खाल्लं जात असणार. लॉजिक आहे, ऐतिहासिक पुरावा माझ्याकडे नाही. पण पण पण ... पुर्वीची बहुतेक माणसे शहाणी होती, थोडक्यात समाधानी होती. पैशाच्या मागे लागून प...

  Radhika and I together we have many rescues stories to share. One such is that of a community dog who lived near her home. This fella was one big notorious kid. He had developed a wound and later there were maggots infestation. First time in net, the boy escaped by breaking the net with his teeth. Second time we somehow managed to get the dog in the van with the net and I drove him to the Angel Lady’s shelter. She treated him well and some three or four days later this guy ran off from the shelter. The group leader hid his face for a few days until Radhika mentioned that the dog had returned to his spot! I was amazed by this return. The miracles that mother nature brings forth all the time are euphoric. There was another case in my neighborhood . During each drive for about three months were trying to get hold of this female dog, she escaped every time. Then she was pregnant again. Finally two of her pups survived to adulthood and she almost willingly got in the vehicle for spay...

During one of the adoption camps, I met another lady who is as passionate as I am and as practical as I am not. My Animal welfare journey would never be complete unless I speak about this lady. Radhika Deshpande and I became friends in no time. She and I would have long talks about ABC Drives and other rescues. I felt comfortable to tell her things that I otherwise wouldn’t have spoken to anyone, to seek her advise about animal welfare or otherwise. We made a good team. She also supported me when I needed fosters for the pups that I would be looking after. We did several rescues together and then one fine day we left the group for good. For once, we also considered starting our own NGO. Since we had understood the hard work it takes to built a team and a financial support that would be needed to run day to day activities, we called it off. It was or rather even today is a wise decision. The Dilemma that I faced was about interfering with the nature or choosing to reduce populat...

  People would come to her to adopt dogs. Most of them would be looking for free puppies of exotic breeds. Many didn’t want to take home any dog that would have been previously owned. Hardly anyone wanted to have the local indie dogs. The group also used to organize Adoption camps. People used to huddle up only to see puppies in the pens. The caregivers of these puppies would mostly be heartbroken since very few pups would be adopted. The kitties would find homes quickly but getting the dogs adopted used to be real hard work. Once another lady and I visited an elderly couple who wanted to adopt a pup. We took some 4 healthy pups in carrier in an auto rikshaw. When I realised that the energy levels of the couple together wont match to that of the pup, I told the lady and she instantaneously agreed. We brought the pups back. Another time, a family had adopted a pup during adoption camp. When we called to inquire about how the pup had settled with the family, we were told the pup...

  Riki Passed away in Nov 2014 and I didn’t bring any four legged baby home until May 2018. My mom was travelling internationally for little less than a month. Zenith Odysseys was running pretty much smoothly hence perhaps it was the right time. Toby's First day with me On one hot May afternoon, I dropped mom for her journey and was checking whatsapp, when I read a message in that group where one cat lady wanted someone to accompany her to the shelter. I called her and asked if I could join. She was more than happy to take me with her to the shelter. At the meeting point, a shop close to Sinhgad Road. There I met a 4 month old pup whom shelter people had just dropped off. This pup was rescued by the group in early May. The pup had lost its left eye and was bleeding when he was rescued. He also had a wound on back which was healing. The group leader said he was going to look after the pup. I somehow felt attached to the pup. But cat lady was in hurry to reach shelter and return. ...

  Taking Riki for walks was an easy task. He never needed a leash. On the walks he would greet people, knock doors to say hello to people, trespassed royally in gardens for grass. There were times when he would take himself on walks and when people would tell him to go back home, he would return. In 2006, Riki went for a walk by himself and didn't return. My father had practically taken his time off from work to look for him. We must have visited many slums and many colonies and houses looking for him. After good 16 days, one evening when I was at work a young man from neighbourhood returned the dog and demanded Rs 700 which my mom had paid off and taken Riki home. I met the fellow over the weekend and tried to understand how and where he had found the dog. His answers were inconsistent. A few days later, I met a woman when Riki and I were on walk, she said her brother ran a kennel and the fellow who had brought Riki home worked for him. She also asked me if I had Riki’s papers...

  Being a Hindu, I was always thought by words and by practise that all animals are equal. Right from ancient texts like Veda and later Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta have mentioned that the supreme power – Energy resides in all living beings equally. Hence treating all animals good came naturally to me right from childhood. However, as I grew up I realised not all people feel this way. I saw young mothers teaching their kids to shoo away dogs who would be passing peacefully, some young uncles teaching their nephews to throw stones at such dogs, cows or towards any animal for that matter. Then the news of stray dogs attacking people, especially young children started coming in. I learnt a new phrase:“Human Animal Conflict”. With time I also came to know such Human Animal conflict has been existing for quiet sometime now and the way it is tackled is mostly by eliminating the threats. Jim Corbett was the prominent name. He is known to have shot over dozens of man eating tigers and leopards...

The more you know about Past, the better prepared you're for the future. Theodore Roosevelt.  मी काही इतिहास अभ्यासक / संशोधक नाही. परंतु थिओडोर रूसवेल्ट यांच्या या वाक्याचा प्रभाव माझ्यावर निश्चित आहे. त्यामुळे जे शक्य आहे ते जाणुन घ्यायला मला आवडते. तर याच काही दिवसात टीव्ही पाहताना डिस्कवरी प्लस च्या अँप वर "सिक्रेट्स ऑफ सिनौली" अशी जाहिरात दिसली. अँप इन्स्टॉल करून खरेतर बरेच दिवस झालेले पण काही नीट बघितले नव्हते. म्हटले श्रीगणेशा या documentary ने करावा.  I didn't know what was to unfold.  तर गोष्ट सुरु होते २००५ मध्ये उत्तर प्रदेशातील एका गावात - सिनौली मध्ये. दिल्ली पासुन फक्त ६७ किलो मीटर अंतरावर असलेले हे गाव चर्चेत आले तिथे शेतात काम करताना मिळालेल्या काही सोन्याच्या तुकड्यांमुळे. मग प्रशासनाने घाईघाईनेच भारतीय पुरातत्व विभागाला माहिती दिली आणि पाचारण केले. काही महिने काम चालेले आणि "वरून" आदेश आले म्हणुन बंद झाले. ते थेट २०१८ पर्यंत. आता हे आदेश का आले, कोणी दिले हा भाग आपला आपण उमजुन घ्यायचा.   २०१८ मध्ये पुन्हा इथे उत्खनन सुरु झाले...