For those unfamiliar with Bollywood, Krrish was the superhero protagonist of a movie of the same name made a few years ago.
It starred Bollywood superhunk Hrithik Roshan, who is quite good-looking as humans go, but fades into ordinariness beside any of our Indian dogs (yes, okay, I'm a little bit biased perhaps, just a little.)
The canine Krrish started life as a very disadvantaged puppy.
But luckily for him, he met Peggy.
"When I found him in Pune, he was a tiny pup, starving and alone, with worms, fleas and a skin infection," writes Peggy. "I was working in Pune and started to feed him. Then named him. Then bathed him, took him to a vet and began to keep him in my hotel room.
"Thought an Indian friend would adopt him until I realized he was meant to be mine!"
"We've been together ever since and he is now three and a half years old, beautiful, healthy, funny and smart. He lives with me and my cats in Los Angeles."
"People constantly ask what breed he is," says Peggy. "I just say he's a hound."
Well, he is a hound really, because Pariah Dogs in India were used as hounds by tribes like the Santhals and Gonds and many more (read the articles in the INDog site). In fact though hunting is illegal in India, some tribes still use these aboriginal dogs for poaching, for instance in Orissa and Jharkhand.
But Krrish also has a bit of the look of the better-known sighthound breeds like the Karwani/Mudhol Hound of the Deccan. That's because he probably does have some of this breed in his bloodline. Saluki-type dogs were brought to Western India by Arab caravans several centuries ago, and their descendents are found all over the Solapur region as well as other parts of Maharashtra. They must have interbred with INDogs over the centuries, resulting in this light build and structure we see in many free-ranging dogs in Maharashtra. My Kimaya has the same sort of look and she is also absolutely addicted to running, unlike most INDogs.
I will be pestering Peggy to send us more pictures of Krrish soon. Meanwhile, somebody warn Hrithik - he's got verrrrry serious competition across the Atlantic.
Photos: Peggy Mulloy
Los Angeles
California, USA
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