Atithi Devo Bhava

René came into my life about 19 months ago. Though starving and scared, she came with a spirit that could not be defeated. She carried no aggression within her frail body and her broken heart carried within it tons of love. I began feeding her and won her confidence; I’m sure that helped change her mind about our kind - we weren’t that cruel after all. And then began my journey into the world of the street dog! 

Soon enough her tribe increased; she brought along two others of her kind. I was flattered! To me it meant that I was deserving of more unconditional love, that I was someone they could trust in the big bad world out there on the streets. Somehow I began to feel blessed, almost as if I were ‘the chosen one’ among the many people who shunned her kind and meted out the most cruel forms of behaviour towards those gentle eyes.

The first time I gave her a boiled egg, she didn’t know how to eat it; it kept slipping off her mouth! So I broke it into smaller pieces, held them in my palm as she lapped it up with lots of cajoling and petting to put to rest her apprehensions. She now loves the idlis and ragi rotis that I give her, too! I realise that it was all about kindling that spark of faith in her..

When Casper was unwell, they knew; they kept their distance from him, yet, showed concern. They would walk alongside him and pause when he looked like he wanted to give up. The night when Casper bid us goodbye, they ‘escorted’ me as I carried his body towards my car. There was some kind of respect for him that they carried in their behaviour towards him! Casper, on his part, was fond of René - he would hang around her, wag his tail and look out for her when he went out on his walks. With Spooky, they are absolute rowdies - they prance teasingly in front of him, he barks and chases them, realising soon enough that his legs are no match for their slender ones!

The three of them follow me around the neighbourhood - if I visit a friend they wait outside; if I stand awhile to talk to someone, they hang around patiently; and if I leave the area they greet me on my return. I now get thrice as much love than I had bargained for!

Once in a while, they bring along a friend. As I get ready to feed them I am ‘informed’ that I have one more to feed. So I quickly run in, asking them to wait a few minutes, as I prepare to feed their guest. After all, a guest is akin to God!