Achan -The Canine Lover

Achan (which means "father" in my native language) has always had a deep love for dogs, and over the years, we had several dogs in our home. The first dog Achan brought to our house was Sanjayan, a German shepherd. Sanjayan arrived before I was born, so most of what I know about him comes from my mother. Sanjayan was a large dog who was very attached to Achan. Every evening, when Achan came home from the office, Sanjayan would run halfway to the stadium in front of our house to greet him. Achan would dismount his bicycle and walk the rest of the way home with Sanjayan. At home, he would play with Sanjayan, who sometimes even jumped on the bed, much to my grandfather's dismay.

When my mother was pregnant with my sister, Sanjayan fell ill with rheumatic fever. Achan was deeply concerned for him, even more so than for my mother's health. He consulted numerous veterinarians and even telegraphed for medicines from Calcutta. Sadly, before the medicines arrived, Sanjayan passed away. Achan was inconsolable. At that time, he was mourning the death of his mentor, Col. Godavarma Raja, and had grown a beard as a sign of mourning. When Sanjayan died, he shaved off the beard as another mark of grief. Sanjayan was buried, and a sapling was planted on his grave, just as one would for a human being. One evening, a friend of my grandfather, who was passing by, saw the lamp on the grave and mistakenly thought my grandfather had died. He even asked our neighbors to confirm. For a week, Achan lit a lamp on Sanjayan’s grave. He also bought a bell with Sanjayan's name and date of death inscribed on it and placed it in the prayer room. In Sanjayan's memory, Achan donated money to a charitable organization, which published a notice in the newspaper stating, "Sri. D. Unnikrishnan has donated Rs.250 to the Vanchi Poor Fund in loving memory of his deceased son Sanjayan." The organization was surprised by such a generous donation for a pet. On the 16th day after Sanjayan’s death, Achan distributed rice gruel ("kanji") to our neighbors. He treated Sanjayan’s memory with the same respect he would have shown for a human being. After witnessing all this, my mother was hesitant to bring another dog home.

For a long time, we had no pets. Then, one of our neighbors offered us a male puppy. Though my mother was uncertain, Achan eagerly agreed, and we children were thrilled. Since the puppy arrived in August, Achan named him "August." August was a mutt and wasn’t as voracious an eater as Sanjayan had been. My mother appreciated this because she had found it challenging to prepare special meals for Sanjayan. August, however, had a strong dislike for cats. He had killed four kittens and a pet squirrel, making it clear that he didn’t want any competition for attention. Whenever August fell ill, Achan would secretly take him to the vet and provide him with special food. My mother suspected that the sudden disappearance of eggs from the refrigerator was related to August’s health.

Later, a friend of Achan offered us a female Doberman named Maya. Despite my mother’s mild protests, Achan was so excited that he brought her home in May. August accepted Maya with little fuss. Maya was very energetic, and soon she and August were racing around the stadium and challenging other dogs in the area. Unfortunately, Maya became pregnant and gave birth to five healthy puppies. Shortly after, Maya became anemic and passed away. I recall the morning Achan carried Maya to her grave, tears streaming down his face. My mother was concerned about the puppies, but Achan insisted on keeping all five. Eventually, my mother convinced him that it was impractical to keep six dogs, and we found homes for the puppies.

After all the excitement with so many dogs, August was once again alone. A few years later, a friend of Achan’s planned to sell a 2-year-old Cocker Spaniel before moving abroad. Unable to resist, Achan paid Rs.3000 and brought the dog home. By then, August was almost 10 years old and enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle with weekly massages, baths, and extra eggs from Achan. The new Cocker Spaniel was quite demanding. For the first two days, he refused to eat, and we learned he only ate omelets and chapatis, which had to be fed to him by hand. Walking him was exhausting, and his shiny coat required regular baths and combing. After two weeks, I had a heart-to-heart talk with Achan and gave him an ultimatum: either the dog or I. Reluctantly, Achan agreed to find the Cocker Spaniel a new home.

August’s health declined with age, and he developed sores on his legs. Achan took him for regular check-ups and dressed his wounds with care. August began eating less and ignored commands from me and my sister, always treating us as mere kids. One day, after eating well, August left the house and never returned. Perhaps he wanted to spare us, especially Achan, from the pain of seeing him suffer. August was over fifteen years old, which is unusually long for a dog’s lifespan.

We treated all our dogs as family. Sometimes I wonder if Achan's affection for them surpassed his love for us kids. Despite the attachment he developed, we are now hesitant about bringing a new dog home. However, I’m sure that if the opportunity arose, Achan would welcome a new dog without a second thought.