Two’s Company

It was 4 years ago when Simba walked into my life, he was 40 days that cute little fur-ball (Read more about him here). Today when I see him my heart swells with love and pride for I haven't seen a dog as soft natured and adorable as him. I may be biased but that's the general opinion. He has a personality of his own. And a very endearing one too. There isn't one person, adult or child, who doesn't love him. He has managed to make even the most indifferent and terrified one's to fall for him with his funny antics and an irresistible charm.


It's been a while since I wanted to get him another dog for company. It's heart breaking to leave him and go anywhere, his sad eyes don't help either. And even if it's for a mere 5 minutes that any of us step out, when we return we have to face the onslaught of complaints and whining accompanied most of the times with tears and tantrums. I heard of dogs getting depressed due to loneliness. I never thought I'd actually see one.


So now, after all these months, one fine Sunday, my parents and I drove down to a Kennel to pick up a pup. The sight that welcomed me there was a pleasant one. I was greeted by a variety of dogs and their litter made me wish I could have them all ,so friendly and so healthy! I couldn't help but notice how well groomed and healthy every dog there was. I fell in love over and over with the huge St. Bernards (which to my Mom's great surprise were really just a year old), the dashing Golden Retrievers and many others all of whom were oh so well behaved. We were then introduced to 6 tiny hyper active Golden Retriever pups, I noticed that one of them was tinier than the rest, a bit lanky if I may say so. We wanted a female preferably with a dark coat so that left us to choose between two and the scrawny pup was one of them. My Dad and the owner of the Kennel thought we ought to take the healthy pup. The decision was up to me. And I knew. My new family member, my Diva, the little scrawny imp who now is on a mission to ruin my Mom's carpets, Simba's tail (It's hilarious watching her jump, grab hold of his tail by her teeth and refuse to let go) and his toys (again, he's such a darling about it) and my Dad's sleep. Oh joy!

A bundle of joy :)

There’s a general notion that people of all ages across the globe are in constant search of love. They seek love, they try to understand love, to comprehend its depths, and are ready to endure any amount of pain, heartaches, grief’s and woes for apparently it’s all worth it (yeah.. sad I know). If  that is the case, if having a taste of true , unconditional love is all that matters then surely people have been looking at the wrong places for it, either that or that fact that what they fancy is completely different.

I know what it is like to be loved unconditionally, just pure out and out innocent love, unchanging, unaffected by things regardless. It was January the 23^rd 2008, little did I realize that my life was in for a major change thanks to the adorable angel who walked in.  Little did I realize that from that day forth I had by me a friend who would always be there through hell or high seas, seeing me through all my bad days, showering me with the same love and affection at times when I didn’t deserve it as when I did, never turning away from me, always there when I was in need, when I was not at my best, when I was down and low, always there…, whose rapturous presence was like that ray of sunlight that shone through the stormy clouds and gave rise to a rainbow, unaltered by my soaring tempers, who cannot bear to see a tear in my eye, who randomly turns into a complete clown to my amusement, and shifts to being protective and possessive when others are around. That wonderful warm feeling that spreads all over you and erases every anguish and woe, makes you forget every awful thing, makes you feel marvelous, and so you smile, genuinely pleased, no matter how the day turned out to be, all this and so much more, when you know love in its most pristine form ever. I do, for I have with me my angel, the perfect embodiment of love and friendship, my best companion, my Simba. :)



Every single day this little miracle with paws makes my life a much better one, every single day this naughty (giant) fur-ball makes sure I have a smile on my lips, his silly antics amazing me completely and sending me into a fit of laughter. He’s the first to wish me good morning, he’s the first to welcome me back home (even if it’s just for 5 mins that I’ve stepped out), the only one who shows the sadness he feels when I leave him( again even if it’s for like a min). Due to him I’ve seen, felt, and received what the whole world is after, unequivocal, unconditional love.

For all those who have a pet dog, you’d know exactly what I’m talking about, for all those who think I’m a deranged lunatic (that you never had a pet is a given) you don’t know what you’re losing out on. This isn’t just for kids, or animal lovers, this transcends all boundaries, specifications, generalizations yada yada. This one will never let you down, never! And I bet you wouldn’t have felt as good as you do when there is a dog that completely dotes on you, it’s totally out of the world to have that, the best feel-good factor ever. Seriously, get yourself a pet, if not for anything else then just for the fact that it does you good!

I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that.

A most unfortunate, lamentable situation.

Of the 40 tiger reserves in our country, almost 20 of them have really very low tiger density, some facing local extinction and trying to recover, some where they already are locally extinct.  Various reasons like human encroachment of land coming under the area of the reserves, poaching, depleting habitat and felling of trees for agriculture, human settlements, industrialization etc have brought about the deplorable condition of our national animal.

With the many downers that we’ve been witnessing there is surely a big possibility of the extinction of these beautiful creatures. There is also a misconception among the general public that this hue and cry is just exaggeration and the world has enough tigers for something like extinction to never materialize. For all those ignorant minds, wake up! Else the day is not far off when you’d actually see it happen. So stop pretending that there is no problem when there is. Don’t put your hands up and say there’s nothing you can do for there is. The least one can do is spread awareness, it does wonders, it pressurizes the Government to act and act quick, it helps the NGO’s working for this cause, it throws light on the various alarming facts, it helps people understand the seriousness of the issue, it motivates the nation as a whole to put its act together and work towards saving the tiger.

A recent article in a leading national newspaper brought to light one of the few positive outcomes of the efforts of the Government and various NGO’s. A total of 16 villages have been relocated and rehabilitated from the Bhadra Tiger Reserve in Karnataka. This whole process had started in 1987 but picked up momentum in the late 1990’s with the active involvement of the forest and revenue departments and, more importantly, the participation of village representatives and NGOs.

This stands out as a one of a kind situation where to make way for the tigers, the humans have moved and it comes as a much needed ray of hope, for not all relocations worked well and had been handled badly. The Bhadra settlement surely would encourage the Government agencies and the NGO’s to work together and help save the tiger. This shows that there are things that if effectively and strategically done then the chances of the country’s wildlife to stay protected definitely come around.

So a bow-down to the villagers of Bhadra and the officials involved for overcoming the various political, bureaucratic hurdles and letting the tiger roar!

Here’s hoping we see many more such efforts become a success. Amen.