Bhulo, the Proudest Indian

8-month old INDog-mix Bhulo lives in Kolkata with his family. He is described by owner Prasenjit Dutta as 'the proudest Indian living', and he certainly looks it, doesn't he? What makes me even happier is Prasenjit's pride in his desi pet!

Read his story below:

'I picked him off the street at 2 months age with one leg maimed by an idiot cyclist. You can see the picture clicked at 4 months age when the leg had healed completely. 

'You would know what fine dogs they make if an Indian dog is cared for. Unfortunately people in our country do not care for anything Indian. We Indians are a pitiable lot...Little do we care for desis...

'Bhulo's leg no longer has any sign of injury and he is a happy member of the family. I had never thought that after keeping three pedigreed dogs since my boyhood days, I would suddenly have the impulse of picking up a street dog. But I have no regrets as the dog has become our third son now! Our dog is so affable and also protective of us that he has turned the household into a lively place and is now the youngest child of the family.

'Now, six months after his adoption, people ask me on the street about how much I bought him for! He likes to keep himself squeaky clean by not stepping on mud on the road. He is almost humanized and he actually talks to us through his grunts, growls, howls, the expression in his eyes and his body language.

'I think Bhulo is mixed with beagle. There are many foreign purebreds roaming the streets of my area where many new-rich people have abandoned their status symbol pets purchased at hefty price, simply because they can no longer tend to their needs. How pathetically mean and poor in mind and soul can our people be! I've seen many street dogs here that resemble beagles more significantly than Bhulo.'

Rajashree's note: This last paragraph about mongrelization made me feel really sad, in spite of this happy and heartwarming story. I grew up in Kolkata in the '60s and '70s (yes, I'm old!) In those days there wasn't much of a new-rich class, and mostly only real 'dog people' kept dogs. It was unthinkable to abandon one's pet or let it roam unsupervised and mate with street dogs. How things have changed.

Text and photos: Prasenjit Dutta

Kasba, Kolkata