Came on Feb 22nd

Feb 22nd 2018.

You were sleeping under a rickshaw.
I put some biscuits near you. You woke up and i stepped away.

You got up and went away towards the Enclave.
I waited and it looked like you kept looking back at me and seeing me still here you would not return.

So I hid behind a tree and you looked back, and then returned.

Then you went and hid behind a large dump container.

A few visits made

I have made a few visits recently, and taken some pictures but not logged.

Yesterday, came there, and you were sleeping in the divider. I left some biscuits near you.

Last week I followed you a bit and took some pictures.

I must start uploading your pictures, my special angel.

Mother not well

I came the other day, you were asleep. I could not stay long as my mother has not been well. Not been able to get out.

We remember you all the time.

Day 9 after finding you

Today, dearest one you were at the dump itself.
You were wandering around looking for something but unable to find anything. I parked myself at the far end, but you moved towards the intersection end.

I watched from there but then moved to your side. You had come quite near the intersection and were looking around.

I stood outside the toilet. I tried to shoot a video but seems only the beginning and end got shot.

At one time you walked past me. I called out and whistled. You stopped and looked around and perhaps tried to figure out where the whistling was coming from. Do you remember the whistling ?

You were wagging your tail for most of the time you were wandering around. You do that quite a lot it seems. You walked past me, giving me a look and then went on back to the far side.

I came away and was to come back after a round but it became late and i did not return after the round of R block. If i had some food of your liking, you might have had it as you walked by.

Day 7 after finding you

As usual when I came, you were asleep on the divider.

I took a round of the R block district park and returned from the Chirag Enclave exit. You were coming from the GK Enclave - I side, crossing the road. I recognized you and followed you back. You crossed over to the dump and looked around for food.

Seems there was no food today. Maybe you have done a round inside the colony earlier. I stood around, took a few pics. You ignored me and walked around quite aimlessly. At one point as you walked by I whistled but you ignored me. Then it seemed you were keenly listening wondering where the sound was coming from. At one stage you looked back at me.

Then finally you crossed the road and curled up again.

Everyday, I tell your sister and your mother about you, that I have found you and that you are not recognizing me, and that you are afraid of me.

Day 5 after finding you

As usual you were asleep on the divider when I came around 3:15 or 20. I took a walk around the neighbouring colonies and enclaves and R-block, and finally came back around 4:30 or so.

You were on the dump side, eating by the wall, just under the sign that said "Samovar". Frequently as you ate and walked around, you wagged your tail. One other large, black dog came around but said nothing to you. None of the dogs here seem to disturb you, so now I am wondering that you might have been here for longer.

You did see me and avoided me. At one time you seemed to hesitate to come to my side since you saw me.

Then I walked across, going by you and only then did you go over to the KECSS side. So i think you were wary of going to the side I was on.

Then after taking a bite, you curled up on the dump side and I left.

Prior to this, you did try crossing over to the divider. You hesitated several times in between and came back, then finally made it to the divider, then immediately came back.

I took no pics today as my phone battery was dead. I came back dejected. Seems you are now getting wary of me as someone to be avoided. Seems there is no progress at all.

Day 4: After finding you - GK Enclave - I

Today I came to you around 3:15pm. You were curled up on the divider.
I stood around, whistled a bit. Then realizing that you would only come over later I went for a round of the R-Block district park.

When I returned, you were still curled up. I stood around for a bit. Then suddenly you saw a cat on the dump side and stood up. The male dog was also on this side.

You came over and the two of you walked around together. I was rather gladdened to see that you both got along okay.

Seems there was no food here. You looked around a lot. Then you both began walking away from the dump, past the KECSSS.

Then you crossed the road over to the other side, and walked into the colony. (It is either GK Part 4, or enclave. ). I followed you. You took a left toward the park and then a right before the park. You walked behind the houses looking for food.

I was glad that you had a nice colony to walk around in. I tried offering you biscuits but you ran past me around the park. I followed you, you took a left around the park. You saw a white dog in the distance near the gate, he came over and you both acquainted with each other near the entrance on the inside. I took a video.

Then the white dog went away disinterested.

I followed you around the park back to the main road of the colony.

Suddenly, 3 or 4 dogs came sprinting at you. Three continued and cought up with you. You stopped and tried to stand your ground. They backed off then.
Then i came out and looked for you. You were already at the dump.

You settled down on a large back. I came to you and tried to offer you biscuits but the motion frightened you and you walked away and were about to cross the road.

I called you and left the biscuits near one large can. I backed off making sure you could see i was backing away. Then i walked away and crossed the road, you could see me going. You again curled up on the same bag (like those plastic cement bags, or maybe gunny bags).

One more day and no progress at all. You are not interested in biscuits. I need something better.
It really seems that in five years you have had no human contact other than the snipping of the ear by MCD which would have traumatised you.

Are you happy where you are ? Where do you drink water, or is it the dirty black water at the dump ?
Are you comfortable here with that dog, and the KECSS and the Part 4 nearby ?

Day 3 after finding you (KECSS)

Today I came to see you for the 3rd day since finding you.

You were sleeping on the center divide as always. Strangely, the black and tan male who sits on the side opposite the dump, next to some people there, he came over and sniffed my hand and sat next to me. He followed me about. What an irony, i thought. He makes friends with me in a day but you still avoid me !

I shook him off and crossed to the divider and put some biscuits by you. You were afraid and again tried to get away so I backed off. Then you curled up again. The dog saw you and was trying to cross the road to get to you. I think he was going to come at you as he was jealous that I was paying you attention. But the traffic was too much, he could not cross.

So i came away and went around R-block a bit and bought some medicines for Mum. I came back and you had crossed over to the dump.

I offered you some biscuits but you would back off. At one point you did come forward and sniff them after I had moved away but you did not have it.

I followed you around quite a bit.

Then I found you close to the side of the Kashmir Cultural Center (slightly away from the dump). I tried to give you some biscuits but you sniffed and rejected it. But you were wagging your tail a bit as i called you. I did take some videos of you walking around.

Then (perhaps you were avoiding me) you struggled to get yourself under the gate of the KECSS, you finally got through and went in, and crossed over into the lawn. It was a nice quiet secluded area. You rolled around in the grass, got up, shook yourself and then walked further. The gates were closed from this side, so i could not enter.

I was glad you had a nice clean quiet spot to be by yourself, away from the traffic and pollution. Then you went out of view.

I came away. You did seem to respond a bit when I whistled but you were not able to make out, and were afraid.

Day 2 after finding you

Today in the afternoon, I once again came to the spot. You were sleeping on the same divider. I took some photos. I put some biscuits near you and stood a few feet away.

You picked one piece hesistantly, dropping it several times before finally eating it. Then you ate one or two more near you. I took a video of you eating. I reached out and placed a few more biscuits near you. You immediately got up and tried to cross the road.

I backed off and waited.

Then you crossed over to the side of the garbage dump and began rummaging through some garbage bags.

I followed you but stood at a distance and watched. You were a bit frightened of people who came close. But you also wagged your tail as you ate. You brought some pieces of food quite close to me and sat under a wheel-barrow and ate them.

I whistled to you and you did seem a tad interested, but did not look at me. Perhaps you looked at the garbage men near you.

Some time later, you began following a garbage man who was cycling away towards the crossing. But just then Bhuwal (our garbage man) came on his cycle and you turned around, got confused and then just waited there.

You stood around. Then you went back to the divider. Then you stood on the road with traffic whizzing by, crossed it back to the dump, at some more. Then you crossed back and stood on the road till a car came very close forcing you to get back onto the divider.

I waited and watched for quite some time.

I am deeply grateful that you are alive and also that you are not mauled or wounded or starved. You look pretty good. You do look six years old, with some non-black hair on your back. But then even your sister (from the same litter) has been showing some lighter coloured hair here and there for more than a year.

But it is still painful to think you have been running for five years and not found a corner in some residential place. I know that your family will not accept you and will attack you, so bringing you back is not an easy thing.
But sadly, now after five years, even you have forgotten this area and all of us. So it wont be home for you, but another strange place.

What does the future hold ?

Will you again wander off somewhere and be lost forever, and I never knowing what happened ?

Found you ... five years later !!!

Yesterday, after over five years, I found you sleeping on the divider on a main road, opposite the Pamposh Enclave garbage dump.

I talked to you, but you did not respond. Finally you looked up and got frightened, and backed off. You tried to cross the road, a lot of traffic. So i backed off, and then you returned to your spot.

I was not sure it was you.

I got some Tiger biscuits from Mehta Stores, and dropped a few near you. You suddenly looked up, and flinched. So I backed off and came away.

Your ear has been snipped. You look sad and forlorn.

I walked home with a heavy heart, trying to process this. You have been on the run for five years. No human contact except being picked up by MCD  and having your ear snipped. You are afraid of human contact now.

The last time we were together I put morsels of bread and milk in your mouth. That was how I fed you and your sister. You would see me and come running to me and jump on my trousers. You were so happy then.

All evening and night I was thinking of you. It rained at night and I was wondering where you were.

Searched NP, Chiragh Dilli and Sheikh Sarai

Yesterday I went again to the Nehru place area. Met a man inside the park who feed a large number of dogs in the park.

Today I decided to look in the area opposite to Panchsheel. This was Chirag Dillli. Too large a place to walk through, too many lanes etc since its yet another market area. But could not have driven through the lanes either. It's so easy for you to get lost here and I would never be able to find you. Then i drove around the Sarai area past an Apeejay School.

Searching resumed

I've been searching again since the last couple days. Today, I once again checked out the parks behind the BRT corridor and the large DDA Panchsheel park. Yesterday, I got my care fixed in the afternoon, and before that it was the forest behind our house.

I am just beginning to wonder that someone might have picked you up and taken you with them. There is a male dog just like you in the BRT park, near the entrance. Stockier and a male, was barking at me quite a bit. His ears also fall down like yours.

I've become a little withdrawn from the other three dear ones of late. EIther it is the pain of losing you, or maybe the fact that there are complaints of them barking a lot at night. I am hoping a little less affection might make them less possessive/defensive. Also their barking at people and chasing -- I am hoping to reduce it. I go to feed them at almost 11pm, i don't play with them in the evening as that makes them bark at people a lot. After feeding them I take them to the Mandir Park so they can run around a bit and tire out. How you would have loved sprinting around with Sher Singh in the park.

I will never forget you little one.

Temporary suspension

Beloved little one,

I've been sick for a few days. Been bedridden, was unable to continue the search.

Am still hoping you will find your way back to me, or me to you.

Searched Masjid Moth area

In the morning, I walked through the Archana Cinema complex, then the park, and then the back road of B block that runs parallel to the main road.

In the afternoon, I parked outside R-block and walked to the road between GK-1 and GK-2 (Ho Chi Minh Marg, i think), i walked on the side of the road past TCIL and the other buildings and complexes. I could not go in, you could have run in there. I will have to put some posters outside these complexes. There was even some forest area that was inaccessible. I don't know how I will check that. Then the Masjid Moth area comes. Again I did not go in. Will put posters outside. I walked around the bend and came all the way to Krishi Vihar where i walked in a bit. I put some posters on a lamp-post outside the entrance, and some back near the TCIL and other buildings. I had only 3 with me. I then came back, coming through the GK enclave service lane.

I guess the only hope i have is to put posters on that road, and other places and hope for some response. 

Searched Andrews Ganj and SE

Today was a wet day. I first checked the C-block Gurdwara. I checked the black dog I had seen last time. I confirmed that it was a male. I just kept standing and looking and whistling hoping it would suddenly be you, even though it was a male.

Then i drove to Andrews Ganj, near the nullah on the main road, and wandered around. Went into the Police Commisssioners Licensing Cell. Then walked around the area surrounding the nullah and the slum. Then walked to South Extension, crossing the road and walked around in the areas close to the main road.

One part of me knows you are no more. You probably did not survive that night. Another part is sure that we will be reunited. It just doesn't make sense any other way. I will keep looking for you beloved one. I will never give up hope.

Last night I came across an article that said a lost dog would not come running to its owner. It would be frightened, hungry, lost and on the run. It might even run from the owner or anyone approaching her. That is why I  went back to the Gurdwara to ascertain that it wasn't you. That means you would not react to the car horn either. I've sort of hoped you'd see me from some hiding place and come running out.

Searched the NP Park

I am no longer able to decide where to search for you. So today, I went back to that huge park opposite the R-block District Park, which is next to the Nehru Place metro. I had earlier done one round of it.

I was surprised to find that there was a huge part I had missed out. When one takes a right from the part which opens out to the ISKON temple, there is a path going further down (or up). As one goes down that path, (it actually goes up, iirc) its almost as if one is in a different world, or one has stepped back in time a few centuries. There are paths that are not paved, but are quite wide, and are lined with bushes. With the greenery around it, it's almost how paths and roads may have been ages ago. 

It goes past the Lotus Temple (which is on the right). I kept following that till it finally seemed to come to some government or municipal office which looked like it could have been in some remote region. And there was a broken exit into some colony or area. I retracted and then went around the Lotus Temple part and once again the path led to some exit. It was now paved at some parts which was disappointing.

(I had the PON audio on)

Searched Nehru Place and DDA Park

Sunday. I drove to Nehru Place before noon, took a round, and then walked through the place. It's quite large with a too many levels and an underground parking etc. I walked through the ground level areas. Just some hawkers in one place and some eateries open, otherwise mostly shut and not many cars. 

In the afternoon, i once again went to the DDA Park (Panchsheel) which I had earlier mis-identified as the Jahanpanna Park. This is the park next to DDA Squash and Badminton Club, oppo the Sama Hospital at the BRT corridor. I parked at Sadiq Nagar and walked through an alley. Way ahead I saw someone who looked just like you outside someone's house. Someone was bringing their dog out, and this dog was excited outside, same behaviour, same tail action etc. I thought it was you! But when i approached, the dog was older and had teats hanging, so had been spayed late. Rather plump dog.  

The DDA park was huge, there were many stray dogs there, so you could have come here. Last time, I did not walk through the whole park, thinking that you would not have stayed in such a desolate area. That section was desolate. Today, i found more populated parts, and a lot more dogs.  

When i came out, and was walking along the park, I looked across the road and there was another dog just like you, again i was sure it was you. I crossed over to the central divider/barricade. I looked at the dog and she looked back. But i could see the feet were slightly whiter. She stared back. I got over to the other side. She was a bit too white, but did stare at me and even growl. This was before some Hotel Forest Green. I put up some posters outside Nehru Place near the bus-stop. The posters I had put outside the DDA Park at the bus-stop had been taken off.

Will I ever find you, dear one? 

Or will you one day become a distant memory and fade away. Like everything else. Like all the pups of the previous litter who died one way or another. And like beloved Sheru and Dolby.

Searched Pamposh, Hemkunt, Chirag etc

Dear one,

Today I walked through each lane of Pamposh Enclave, Hemkunt Colony, Chiragh Enclave and GK Enclave. I reached the opposite side of Nehru Place, and thought maybe I should do a round of that place next week, preferably the day NP is closed.

Where are you? I can not believe that you are no more. That just cannot be.

Searched W and E block

Today, walked through each lane of W-block, then went through M-block market back lane to E-block and walked up and down each lane. That finally led me to Kailash Colony market, walked again through it. Finally walked back to the C-block park.

Outside the C-block Gurdwara there was a dog much like you, black tail, ears unclipped, but s/he did not recognize me. S/he was curled up sleeping. I stood there thinking my search was over! Finally i noticed that it was a male.  

I just cannot accept that you are no more. What happened? Did you get run over on Diwali night? 

Did I tell you that someone has hit your sister Sher on the eye. She hasn't been able to open her eye fully but it's getting better. She's barking away right now outside. She isn't eating bread nowadays, I have to get her to drink milk at night. It's been a severe winter this year. The cold started in November itself which hasn't happened in a long time. If you are alive, you must be starving and shivering somewhere.

Searched GK-2 and CR-Park again

I did another round of CR Park, one side I had not looked at earlier. That led me to GK-2 so i wandered around there. Came to the park near the market (around S-480 etc) and took a couple of round there. Then walked through the market and some of GK-2 near the park.

It is hard for me to believe you are still alive my dear one, but impossible for me to believe you could be gone from this world. I feel like Orpheus. What must be your state, dear one.  

On every street, at every turn I keep imagining that i find you and carry you back. You leap at me and hug me madly. Your sister Sher Singh is not eating, she has a little milk at night. So i go to the forest behind and feed that litter of pups. They are famished and attack my fingers like piranha.