The Oval

Here's Kimaya at the Oval Maidan. Less scenic than Nagaon beach; however this is one of the nicest open spaces in this overcrowded grimy city.



If you follow Kimaya posts, you may remember the dog party we signed up for? The group have been organizing events mostly in the western suburbs, but they've now started in our part of town as well. The first party was here at the Oval.

At first Kimaya was very pleased to be in this wide open space; but once we approached the party she got scared and pulled away. The trainer had advised us to sit at a distance she was comfortable with, and only for as long as she was willing to stay. So we sat on the grass about 30 feet away from all the other guests, watching the games. We stayed for half an hour, longer than I'd expected. After that she wanted to go, so we walked around far from the other dogs.


We went back to walk at the Oval a few days later. That's when I took these pictures. She didn't want to walk through the gate or on the centre path, because that's the area other dogs are walked in. I had to carry her till we were far from all dogs! After that she got busy sniffing the ground and trying to catch a rodent in the long grass.



The grey stone 19th century building in the background is the High Court. Behind it is the Bombay Stock Exchange.



"Excuse me, is that a Maratha Hound?" a man called out to me through the park railings. She's a mix-breed, I told him; but he had a good eye and is probably partly right. Look up "Maratha Hound" and you'll see what I mean. It's more commonly known as Mudhol Hound or Caravan Hound.

These dogs were used for hunting in the Deccan Plateau, and must have mixed extensively with the village INDogs. So this look is seen sometimes in Maharashtra's free-roaming dogs. I also see some traits and behaviour in Kimaya that I haven't noticed in most Indies: very fixed eye-stalk behaviour, high prey drive, and love of running for its own sake, with no purpose. She also runs faster than the dogs we meet on Nagaon beach (I mean healthy young village dogs, not weak or malnourished ones).
Here's an earlier post in which you can see a dog with Kimaya's build.

We'll be going back to the Oval once it stops raining - if that ever happens - and we'll be going for more dog parties too, even if we have to sit far away watching. I'm sure Kimaya will eventually realize the other dogs aren't trying to harm her and perhaps she'll stop being so timid around them.

Mumbai

Time and tide

Run run run!

Kimaya's mantra is "seize the day." Every moment not spent running, exploring, playing, eating, learning new things, sleeping on extremely soft bedding, is a moment wasted.


Incessant heavy rain threatened to ruin our Nagaon visit this week; but on the second day it was much lighter. We went to the beach in the morning...


...only to find that there was no beach. It was high tide.

So we walked in the wadi, the coconut plantation next door.


That property belongs to my relatives. I don't let Kimaya off-leash there, because in this season the ground is covered in vegetation and there are snakes around. (We have some venomous species in this area including Russells Viper, which I've seen in my own garden).
Luckily my uncle's caretaker has cleared a path through the plants, so we could walk without disturbing anything.

In the evening the tide had receded and the beach was absolutely beautiful, empty as it usually is on weekdays in the monsoon. Just like it used to be before the tourists discovered it.


We met this young black dog with his mother. Kimaya tried to make friends with him, but he wasn't interested in anything but protecting his mother. He's only half-grown but he guards his mum very well, barking whenever anyone comes close to her. I don't know whether she wants to be guarded so zealously, but he does it anyway.

We've known her for a few years, but she's a shy dog and doesn't have any dog friends except Brownie. Her son seems to have inherited her temperament.

Then Brownie came to the beach!!!

Our caretaker Gharat told us our large furry friend has started visiting our house again, every few days. He didn't have his new family members with him this time, so Kimaya was thrilled to meet him.

He's grown even fatter, and his new owners have put a green collar on him with "FASHION" written on it.

It rained a bit, but not heavily, and the sun shone through the clouds all the while, so the sky and sand and trees and rain and we were bathed in that rare golden light you only see a few times a year.

This is the best the beach can be.

And only I was there to see it, with Kimaya and Brownie trotting along beside me!

We reached home drenched and muddy and in great spirits. Brownie stayed for dinner and then he slept over, just like he used to.


I'm worried about all the weight he's put on. I told our caretaker to speak to his owners, tell them to feed him less. Apart from the fact that he hardly runs any more, I felt he wasn't comfortable sleeping on his side, and he changed his position once or twice. He never used to do that.



The next morning he came to the beach with us but then went off home - I'm not sure which home, his original one or the new one. He has three homes when you come to think of it! That's three times luckier than many of the dogs in India.

Our last evening was spectacular again. These pictures and videos were taken with my phone, since I don't carry the camera out on rainy days.


The tide was low and the beach was vast. The sand was covered with a film of sea, and magnificent reflections of clouds and sunset. A bit like those common kind of greeting cards, but being inside the scene makes it different and not common at all!

Kimaya seemed to walk on water, earth and sky.




Kimaya is a whole lot more obedient since her training started. Though she doesn't come when called, she does whiz by me every five minutes or so, which is a lot better than what she used to do earlier (behave as though I didn't exist). I could hear her little paws thudding on the wet squelchy sand whenever she raced past.



A flock of birds flew over the sea, and it reminded me of the migrants far away in their breeding grounds in the Arctic and northern Europe...

Perhaps even as I stood there, they were gathering in huge numbers and stretching their wings and getting ready for the long flight south. Some may have set off already and are even now flying silently towards us, crossing country after country unnoticed by the poor earthbound creatures below. In winter some will land at Aksi beach close by. They'll spend a few months here hunting for crabs among the discarded plastic bags and bottles. Because tourist season will be in full swing then.

Coming back to the dogs -

Brownie made a brief appearance and then went home.

The other dogs on the beach disappeared after a while.

Kimaya scampered around and played by herself, seizing what was left of the day, ecstatic about being young and strong and able to run.

Turning in a circle where I stood, I realized there was absolutely no-one on the beach except Kimaya and me. It was empty, as far as the eye could see.


I am not very spiritual, but it's impossible not to feel euphoric at such a place and time. Even one hour here is better than a lifetime in noisy, crowded, grim surroundings.

And if you have a happy dog with you, it's one hour of being in heaven.

Nagaon
Konkan Coast

Pups for adoption - Bangalore and Mumbai

There are three adoption appeals here, please share them and help these lovely pups.

Julu, Chintu, Beauty and Kalu - Bangalore

These four pups are being looked after by Amrita. They are females, 2 months old. Their three brothers have been adopted; now the sisters remain. Please email Amrita for details about their care and treatment so far, on amrita.du@gmail.com



Julu



Chintu



Beauty



Kalu

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Angy - Mumbai

















This is Angy. I found her shivering beneath a car, hiding herself from the Mumbai rains. Separated from her mother, brothers and sisters, Angy is looking for a home. She is 3-4 weeks old female, very cute and playful. Would you like to be her proud owner??

Contact: Karan Poojary - 9820030410
leo_dude55@yahoo.com

.....................................................................................

Soni - Mumbai

Soni was abandoned outside Mount Mary Church, Bandra, Mumbai when she was just 30 days old. A kind candle shop owner has looked after her for 1 month but cannot keep her anymore due to Novena & Bandra Festival which attracts lakhs of people to the Church. She will be lost in the crowd. Soni is extremely intelligent, smart and loving. She loves to play around and is very comfortable with human touch. She is potty-trained and loves pet food (6 months supply will be donated by us). Her vaccinations & sterilization (as soon as she is 6 months old) will be taken care of by us.

Please help this beautiful tan colored, light-eyed angel find a home.

Please call 98207 11530 or send an email to payal.bhatia@petsmartpetproducts.com to bring Soni home.

--
Regards,

Payal Bhatia

_______________________

For Sherry Lulla Foundation

The Indy and the Cat - Kim and Mim

Kimaya and MiniPini (aka Mim) are not the best of friends. Except in one place: the kitchen.

A little history: Mini hates dogs, with good reason, having almost got killed by them at the shelter where she used to live earlier.

Since December 2007 she's been living at our Nagaon house with Tabbyrani, with short annual trips to Mumbai for blood tests.

She was never scared of Lalee, Bandra, Lucy or Brownie since they rarely paid any attention to her.

Kimpy is a different story. She was still a boisterous pup when we adopted her, and her idea of fun was chasing and racing, the kind of games cats don't like to play with creatures much bigger than themselves, specially when they're the ones being chased. Rough dog games could easily kill a cat, and Kim is yelled at whenever she tries to start them. Mini is so scared of her she starts hissing and fluffing up as soon as Kim is anywhere close to her, even if Kim isn't doing anything at all.

But - there's a strange transformation in the kitchen of our Nagaon house. It's kind of like a Zone of Universal Love!

The kitchen happens to be Mini's favourite place. If you are one of those odd people who don't like cats trying to trip them up, never step in here. Once in this room Mini has no enemies, and Kimaya becomes her best friend. She purrs and winds between Kimaya's legs, leaning against her affectionately.

Kim is a bit wary on these occasions because she never knows when MiniPini might suddenly have a mood swing and slap her.

Once out the kitchen door, all the love disappears and it's back to normal.

Strange are the ways of cats, specially this cat!

Nagaon

For cat lovers - check earlier posts under the topic "Dogs and cats"

Mia needs a home urgently - Delhi

An appeal forwarded by Charu Shah:

Mia was abandoned Saturday night in a park in front of my house. I got to know this yesterday. She's been with me since Sunday morning. I came out of my house and found a collared brown puppy being chased by my dogs so I took her in. I would've left her on the road but she's a domesticated dog with soft fur and a fear of cars and two wheelers.

She seems around 3-4 months old. Intelligent, smart, active very friendly (teething) and is always ready to play with other dogs but my dogs are not the perfect ones to play with.

I can't keep her because of my dad and grandparents. Also I would never like a dog being confined to just one room (i.e. mine) with no space whatsoever. A loving home for her would be excellent. Shelter is not an option.

Contact for adoption: 9818944362 or 41720562

Thank you
I appreciate your help

Abhishek Gulshan
Delhi