Perceive the beautiful souls around.....

"Oh my! Hey just stay back.Please,if you can use another lift"Orrr..um let me get off."

"Woah,don't panic!Trust me,they won't hurt.Stay there,the other lift is out of service."

It was a question of just a few seconds but panic was swelling within me.My eyes constantly stuck on the duo four legged blackies.

As the destination arrived one of them came sniffing towards me and I just ran out impulsively crying out in alarm.

Next day the young lady was at my door apologising.

"Oh,I am so sorry for yesterday."she said.

"Hey,No worries"I continued feeling a bit awkward ,"May be I just overreacted." "But you see animals are so unpredictable."I defended

"No not at all" she continued warmly "you see through my eyes and you will feel..like they are so adorable!"

Thereafter they both exchanged smiles and short friendly conversations whenever they came across but never stood on a common ground as far as this one was concerned.

     *   *   *     

Gazing through the window Netra had slipped into the past.Everything seemed so unbelievable.She had undoubtedly come a long way.Last few years had completely changed her life.It was as if God had chosen this path for her.All these years the thought never came into her mind but today suddenly it had pierced through taking her by surprise.Actually today a similar incident had occurred in the lift and she had found herself on the other side of the table.what had changed inside her?

Netra was a young benevolent,affable and a soft spoken girl.She was beautiful,fun loving and very close to her parents.She loved partying with friends and family.Though best in whatever she did,she carried no weight on her back of any serious goals to be accomplished in the future.

     *   *   *

Never ever in her dreams had Netra thought that she would feel for those helpless street dogs so much and would stand up for them so strongly.Yes there was a time when Netra was terrified at the sight of a dog.

     *   *   *

It all started once when she noticed two skinny distressed dogs under a parked private bus just a few metres away from her apartment.Netra felt a pang of discomfort at the sight initially but it soon changed into sympathy.Nothing at that moment could keep her back not even her fear for animals.

She clumsily parked her car between the potted plants that lined up the edge of the busy road and hastened across the road with a packet of biscuits that she had in her bag.

Standing a few yards away she fearfully bowed down and quickly kept a few rectangles in front of the dogs looking into their sunken dispassionate eyes.Surprisingly the biscuits disappeared as quickly as they were kept into those ravenously hungry stomachs. Netra felt a sense of gratification and happiness as never before as she drove down to her work place.This happiness never ceased to exist but it continued like a sacred ritual.Though it was never a mere routine for Netra but something that had began to define her.

     *   *   *

Incidentally many a times while feeding the duo skinny dogs,she would see a few dogs staring hopefully from the other side of the road.As now her fear was on decline and fondness on incline, she went towards the dogs hoping to give them some food.But the dogs ran inside a huge dilapidated gate that seemed unguarded.

Hesitatingly Netra tried to peep through the half open gate.What she saw inside was a huge unruly open space;on one side of which stood a big structure made of metal sheets painted in blue, with a couple of trucks lined up.Suddenly an old guard may be in his seventies came out and enquired with Netra,"Yes ma'am, How can I help you?"

"No..,actually I see a few dogs here staring at me everyday when I feed the dogs across,sooo..may be I thought if you don't mind,I would like to give them some food."said Netra.

Hearing this the old guard was overjoyed. "Definitely madam,definitely.......Please" and without wasting any time he called out a few names.In the blink of an eye a whole lot of may be 20-25 dogs came rushing from all the directions.The scene that greeted Netra's eyes was awesome and breathtaking.Never before in her life had she seen so many dogs rushing towards her,waging their tails happily.The dogs stopped a few metres away in bewilderment.

"Behave and thank this madam.She has got food for you all."he spoke to the dogs as if they were his babies.

The old guard 'mama' as people their called out to him took the biscuits and dog food from Netra's hands and instructed another young looking guard to spread it out on the plastic sheet lying few steps away.To her dismay the dogs wildly pounced upon the food,each one of them trying to get the lion's share.

     *   *   *

That night Netra kept thinking about the dogs. "Really how hungry they must be."she said to herself. Something had got triggered within her,that was not going to subside now.Next day Netra rolled up some extra chapattis,biscuits and dog food and went to feed the dogs at the compound.It became a regular feature slowly.Also the dogs would wait eagerly near the gate looking out for Netra.And if for some reason she wouldn't turn up a particular day,slowly losing hope they would slip away in some cosy corners.

These 25 dogs in the compound seemed rugged,unrefined,tough and intimidating but when Netra had a close peep into their life,it told a completely different story.Their lives were miserable.As the days passed Netra grew emotionally attached to them and so were the dogs.

The generous old guard Mama was heartily fond of dogs in the compound and had named them all in his own way.Also each one of them wore a unique trait and followed a particular behavioural pattern.

Like LALU,a huge,strongly built white dog,leader of the whole lot,had all the leadership qualities.Though mammoth was his conscious level,he was so loving,responsive and intelligent that sometimes you may forget that he is a dog.It took quite a while for Netra to earn a good friendship with LALU.Though affection between the two was at another level later.Yes one more thing about Lalu was he wouldn't eat anything thrown on the floor.Often other dogs offered him signs of submission.

MYSOUL! a great female adult dog.She was on the verge of amputation while she was a pup and now had a rod inserted in her right thigh.According to the doctor it was either a miracle or someone's trust and love that had worked for her.Being very close to Netra, she called her MYSOUL.Netra and MYSOUL shared a very special bond.

BHURA was also a dominant male dog. The iris of one of his eyes was noticeably lighter.Bhura was a flirtatious light brown dog,often busy wooing the female dogs around.LALU & BHURA wouldn't get along at all.

KALI an old female dog often used to be jealous of MYSOUL as Netra hugged and patted her a lot.KALI would always try to put her head in between and steal a few pats from Netra.

BLACKY was Kali's daughter an active medium sized black dog with white patches here and there, mostly seen playing with MYSOUL.

SHAILA Ah! Such a playful dog.He ate heartily and there was always a basic invitation to play on his face.

CHIRAG was a black hairy mix breed dog.It did not belong to the compound like other dogs but had seeked refuge there once while it was a pup.On a rainy drainy night the old guard Mama had seen him outside the gate all alone,scared and wet and had taken him inside.All time favourite of Mama,he would always sit near his feet.He very well got along with all the other dogs but preferred to eat quietly away from others. May be it was his way of respecting the brigade he didn't belong to from the birth. 

BROWNY a creamish male dog with dark brown patches,always kept to himself,happy in his own space and was always found with some piece of paper or rug hanging from his mouth.

There were many more...each one of them so special so adorable.

Seeing Netra they would come all over her wagging there tails.

Over the next two years Netra had many more mouths to feed.She had neutered them all.She also had to bear their medical expenses.To match with the expenditure,she had taken up the teaching job so as to create an extra source of income.

     *   *   *

In reality this huge plot that was home to 25 street dogs,was bought by Mr Shah a well known builder and a big-wig.The work had not yet started as the plot was trapped in the web of legalities.He therefore for time being used it as a small cement unit for his other upcoming buildings.

Now after the things got sorted out and the construction work was about to start,there was a complete shift in the situation.The site manager appointed was very rude and denied Netra any access to the dogs.It was very disheartening for Netra.Mama respected Netra very much and he didn't want anyone to rudely talk to her."You don't worry madam,leave a bag of dog food here and I will feed all of them when no one is around.And if anything will give you a call."he assured. It came as a relief for Netra but it didn't last longer.Soon Mama was removed and the whole security changed.All hell broke on Netra.She was in tears as now there was no one to look after the dogs inside.These dogs never came out much as they were used to staying inside right from their birth and other outside dogs wouldn't accept them as it was their demarcated area.

Soon Netra came to know that the site manager Ghorpade had given security the orders to beat up the dogs and throw them out.But due to grace of God,security and some labourers who were staying inside,denied to obey the orders.Netra pleaded and explained Ghorpade that dogs would slowly adjust themselves around by the time the building came up.She made him aware of the law of the land that stated;dislocation of animals was a punishable offence.But it all fell to the deaf ears.

Netra now fed the dogs at six in the morning and people inside supported her.

But as if time had chosen to go adverse way,Netra met with a bad accident and got immobilised due to fracture.In front of the X-ray machine,tears rolled down Netra's cheeks thinking about the dogs.Two days had passed since dogs were own there own without any food and water.Nor they had Mama with them neither they had seen Netra.Few more days passed and Netra got really anxious and worried at the mere thought of dogs going hungry with no source of food at all.She sent her younger brother to meet the security personnel there but due to strict instructions from the authority and the cameras been installed at the gate,they were scared even to talk.One of the guards came forward but he was afraid as it would risk his job.

Meanwhile Raghunath a truck driver came over and offered to help.He would then pick up the food from Netra's house and smuggle it inside at night.The construction workers and their children also assisted Raghunath in this task.Netra was relieved but she knew it wasn't the real solution.

In the meantime Netra was visited by one Mr. Gautam a retired journalist and an ardent animal lover who stayed in the vicinity.He came as a great help and support to Netra through out the struggle.He consulted an animal welfare officer and requested him to intervene.But he was in no time pacified.In a photo op,the builder's men photographed themselves in such a way..so as to look like they were feeding the dogs.Thus proving Netra's claims wrong.There malicious Intentions were to distance Netra from the dogs so that later they could do whatever they wanted with the dogs.The animal officer did not take much effort and denied Netra any further help.Two months had passed by then and Raghunath kept on feeding the dogs risking his job.It was very important to get the permission as soon as possible.

Netra still on a bed rest did not give up.She wrote mails to Animal welfare board of INDIA at Chennai.Another officer Mr. Charania was sent to look in to the matter.Mr Charania was a very able,committed and honest officer with great positively intimidating personality.He made an unbiased report and furthered the matter to the Animal welfare ministry's office.Finally the efforts paid off and the builders company soon received a notice that warned him against the consequences in case any harm was done to the dogs.Not wanting to get trapped into any other legal problems the builder gave up and called up Netra giving her the permission to feed the dogs daily in the hours when the work was not in progress.

     *   *   *

Today Netra has complete access to the dogs. Dogs are very well looked after and happy.Raghunath feeds them without any fear.Mama is back on job and happily united with his babies.

     *   *   *

It is just a matter of realisation. This realisation may come to you in any form at any point of time in your life and it changes the way you look at your life and the life around forever.

Often we are so busy in our own nitty gritty that we become deaf to the plight of the life around.

Netra now happily carries the weight on her back of one very important goal of her life and that is to do something in the field of animal welfare to be accomplished by her in the future.