Liberty downer

I don't understand this part of the doctrine of democracy. Why do some really want liberty downest to the lowest level of an individual, like, a man's? I suggest, we bring it downer; say, to a dog's level.

Transportation modes available to Banjo

In Ahmedabad, year 2010, mass public transport vehicles such as the public bus, known as AMTS, is a complete no for Banjo. His presence may create panic and scare otherwise ordinary people traveling by the bus. He is already a perceived danger when he walks the streets- a fifteen month old Labrador pet. It is highly likely that the kind-man (man-kind) may protest his presence in the bus too. Well, things are not that bad, for Banjo is among the lucky few of his kinds around. He has other personal modes of transport available too, although walking is his favorite.

Let me tell you, he is crazy about the Bullet, a heavy motorcycle which his master Bend owns. Since a few decades, the production of this R(G)oyal Bullet has had ceased in Royal England as old generation bikes have given way to the new. And, recently, these Bullet bikes have found a new immense popularity in India with a certain youth – the youth which can afford it. The Bullet which never ditches you, has style, is louder in loud streets, and is relatively a comfortabler and an exciting ride. Banjo would always insist for a ride.

Car falls later in Banjo’s preference list. Bend usually drives it with the windows up, closed, and perhaps Banjo doesn’t likes its secure cut off air with the outside world. There is a risk that Banjo may jump out of the window in excitement of the smells outside or eye contact with the other dogs on the street. Inside is a micro-climate envelope, where this contact, in particular smell contact, is broken. Climate changed, just images the dog may be observing. It gets more boring in winters, for in summers the dog at least has the air conditioner to eat up? Bend learns, you rob a dog of his smell, you rob him of everything. On longer drives on highways, country sides, Banjo prefers to curl himself for a comfortable doze in the car. It is beautiful when the sun shines through the glass and the living creature is sleeping quiet.

Halfway during one seemingly long morning walk with Banjo, one day, Bend chose to return home in an auto-rickshaw. The auto-rickshaw driver was surprised with Bend’s question if he wouldn’t mind a dog. The poor looking wrinkle faced man laughed on an unusual question. He was amused to see two smart chaps early in the morning, requesting a paid ride. Bend thought Banjo would love auto-rickshaw too because he himself loves the sound and air of it. He was keen to take a note of Banjo’s reactions. Rather, the unconcerned dog preferred to bark at the street dogs he came across, and aroused their curiosity in return too. Banjo didn’t find anything special in the alternative transport form, except for the driver, who perhaps just loved another small excitement in his life, otherwise a tough day, which has become a regular, just about to begin.

Bend uses Banjo to take notes

How much Banjo makes it easier for Bend to gather a few notes, only Bend knows.

These days, local Gujju shops have started to put air-conditioned cooling and glass partition at their front- be it an ATM, a bakery, frozen meat shop, or a local grocery store. These are only a few though. When the dog walk is accompanied with a purpose of some errand in these shops, Bend would have to leave Banjo outside these spaces. This has a few reasons- one, when these spaces are empty, Banjo is scared to venture inside and starts barking on the door with only his face inside; and when the place is full of people inside, people express either fear or joy, like, “oh my god, dog…”, or, “O mumma, see, kutro*”. Banjo, depending on the friendliness in the atmosphere inside, would venture inside.

In one such incidence, outside an upper crust café bakery in Bodakdev, a Rabari*, sees Bend pat Banjo on his neck and fluff some love massage. It is an unusual sight, for the Rabari himself realizes WTF is he doing here in a city begging and why is he not with his goats. Surely he has Bodakdev contacts, or he is from nearby. He assumes Bend is friendly, cannot help his habit or need, and asks him, “Saab*. Can you give me some money to buy some atta* for the kid?” There are two, less than ten year olds dangling on him or running about in yonder. They are happy. Bend doesnt likes to encourage begging, so he doesn’t say anything. The Rabari is disappointed.

A few moments later, a fat, round and big guy gets out of his heavy big car, BMW type make, or similar. Full of fat, vulnerable as an animal, he is fast paced in his steps towards the bakery; gets startled when he suddenly notices Banjo unknowingly blocking his way. He requests in his commanding voice, “Please, can you control your dog?” Banjo has been standing unchained at the bakery door hoping to get in. He is standing free, head shaking, tounge out in hope.

Bend is somewhere in vicinity, taking notes how as time changes, people now talk more of two extremes that is India.

***
Atta: (noun) Dough
Kutro (noun) Dog
Rabari: (noun) Grazer from Gujarat, India
Saab: (noun) Sir. (Similar to Sahib (Colonial))

China make or India make?

Any dog's face, if you stare and observe at the animal will show you how cute or angry or worried it is. Many times he may also convey hope on his face too; usually when you have biscuits or something tasty at bay. Banjo who Bend lives with, gives the same different expressions at different moments to him. Since they both live together, man and dog, Banjo can also easily read Bend’s gestures of love, anger, or worrieness.

It is well documented that Labradors were first reared in NewFoundland (source: Wikipedia) in around 1800AD as waterdogs, and since then have travelled the world afar, making it to one big corner in India its city called Ahmedabad. 2010, Bend cannot gather which route Banjo’s ancestors took, for the friend who had arranged the dog simply refused to divulge his source, ancestral and route details. He said, “I take hundred percent guarantee that it is a Lab. And what more do you want? You wanted a Lab dog and here he is. Look! He is a nice looking one too,” sipping tea.

Both Banjo and Bend, during their Amdavadi morning strolls, when air dew is not yet spoiled by the dusty traffic, frequently encounter other Labradors (Labs) accompanied either with their maaliks or servants. Banjo had been a proud possession to Bend until both had met the biggest Lab of them all – Dg. Sniffer. Surely, Dg. Sniffer is not an exception, because if here in Ahmedabad city, a big Lab double and huger than Banjo and many all the other Labs can exist; it therefore, raises a small fleeting question on the supply source of these increasing numbers of Labradors in the city. Trust Bend, you drive in the new part of the city and in most corners you can see a Labrador being walked.

I wonder if Bend cares, but he assumes that as life changes in the city, individuals do find a good companionship in dogs, and especially Labs, because of their calm relaxed nature, almost zero maintenance, and their ability to express affection when needed. So far so good, but now hearing rumors, Bend is now also diverting his opinion that although Banjo has his roots in Newfoundland- Since a few generations, he and his likes are kind of a dilution, influenced by India or Chinese or other en route genetics. Size is one reason I just mentioned, and the other could be people breeding them in increasing numbers, as giveaway to relatives or for selling in the market. Bend guesses there are more reasons. Take example of Banjo’s actions. Banjo understands the street environment well enough to run, enjoy and play freely on the roads, and not be crushed under a vehicle passing by. He ducks, speeds or adjusts his butt or head accordingly in case the driver has to brake suddenly and thereafter honk. Banjo also has an inherent capacity to judge when to cross roads banks in a flash.

The other thing is Banjo’s eating Habits, Bend notes. Both just love noodles. One should see Banjo waiting persistently in hope for a small doodle of the noodle. And, throw some, he will tilt his head up, fly and grab if needed, and sip the noodle needing help from both tongue and lips.

Chuski

Many a times, I use Google for translating difficult words. For example, to find what 'sage leaf' would mean in Hindi. But this is crazy - see the image below when I tried to search the English for 'chuski'.

Breaking Barriers by Barking

       I mentioned somewhere in my earlier posts, Labradors living here in Amdavad will fall under the paltu* category, and are generally bigger or stronger than their faltu* counterparts, excepting unless not well fed by their maaliks*. Bend is accused of overfeeding Banjo, but then they both compensate by walking a few odd miles every day. During these walks they always meet the faltu type, also known as desi*, who collectively are a loud type. The collective loves to bark endlessly and some like to show that they will bite. They even scare some humans who are taking their hurried morning walks, and their children too starting for their schools at beautiful morning twilight. Strong in posture, Banjo’s personality ensures he is a pet; Labrador and therefore lovable. At first meeting Banjo can look scary too.

       For some reason, the faltu types are usually angry with paltu types, and come running chasing in groups, and especially towards Banjo, who communicates to them in some dog language that life can be more than being territorial and protective. Some bites here and there, their morning walks continue.

****

desi = (n.) of the country India
faltu = (n.) of the streets
maalik = (n.) master
paltu = (n.)of home

Footsteps to follow

Sometimes, it is nice to dig old incidents. This one crops up here because of Steinbeck's brief plot-synopsis within 'The Pearl' used as an archeologist’s tool. I remember how in a village scenario, tracking someone by merely looking down and following his foot-tracks is a simple skill.

Ten years back, fresh out of college, I used to get confused with the word 'footprint', for I had learnt that it means a foot-mark left on a surface. But, working my ass in a village called Patanka replacing traditional mud houses with houseowner’s organic designs, some two hundred odd of them, I used to have my more sophisticated friends talk and discuss, elitely, of a the same word 'footprint', but with a different meaning. More precisely, the word carbon was prefixed and the word became more than words. That time the grassroots concern was somewhere else, and now you can see it is a global concern now.

My concern stays smaller. It is of the skill, the skill which John published of back then in 1947; the skill of tracing/chasing someone wanted or unwanted by following the footprints left on the dusty ground. The melancholy plot-synopsis is of Kino chased during his run. Reminded me of how I was chased by the best chasers of Patanka , a community called Rabari, basically, grazers here who own a lot of sheep and flock, lowest in that village's social ladder of four to five categories. Vajabhai, chased me to be allotted his quota of cement, and complained I had been the toughest catch in his life. My job was to walk around and visit different houses that were being built, to inspect that they were being done proper. He complained that I would circle and walk too much. This made me happy then, and now makes me proud when I look back, for they were good times as we cracked them as jokes. When I discussed this with others in the village, the superior people of the village, they told me that these grazaers are best with this technique of foot following and are usually of help to the community when a theft had taken place. As soon as a theft alarm is raised, unknown footsteps are followed, wrong ones eliminated and a track path invented, in a particular direction, with probabilities worked out that in which village would the thief would have gone to. Villages here, then and now, are distributed by a distance of five to ten kilometers in an average. If pursued, it took a month or two to apprehend the thief.

Now, slowly most of these villages are access roaded with roads that are super highways, otherwise called expressways, motorways or freeways. It can be a useful observation to find how much of the footprint identification skill still remains. I am talking of the smaller issue.