The best buddy

I was at Sanju's place this afternoon as May 31 is Sanju's birthday. As unmistakable as Sanju's busy, booked by the second, schedule was his Tashu's devotion to him.

Tashu, Sanju's lovely beagle, literally never lives away from Sanju or leaves his side even for a second. Anyways, dogs adore the "spread self in all possible directions" 'asan' always, but especially in summers. 

 Given the horribly hot summer this time, Tashu is no exception to this rule. But that spread mutt avatar of his is also at Sanju's feet, centimetres away from Sanju's 'work from home' desk.  If he has to re-curl himself, as is dogs' wont, it is within the radius of exactly a feet, tops, away from Sanju.

When he was a puppy, Tasha used to literally cry if he could not locate Sanju in the room. Of course, Sanju, too, used to actually care for him as if he was a baby. Named after Kunal's favourite toy, Tasha was not merely a playmate, but a joy in their lives.

I remember once Sanju, and family, had gone out. Tasha was real happy in our company, mine and Aai's. The moment he, however, heard the doorbell which told him Sanju was back, he forgot us all, and followed Sanju at his heels, heavy sleep in his eyes and his huge coverlet on his back.

He sits at Sanju's feet when Sanju is playing his flute, literally like the dog on the HMV icon, 'his master's voice'.  Often reminds me of Jimmy, our childhood buddy, who, too, loved Sanju the best.

How dogs thus interweave their lives with us is unbelievable. They can visualise only two colours, black and white, apparently, and yet they distinctly 'see' us. They understand our language as if they have trained themselves at special tuitions. They talk to us in multiple modes. Whether we understand their moods can be a moot question though.

Such best buddies, faithful souls they are that legends and literature are full of the tales of their total commitment, their pure devotion. The best, of course, is Ulysses'. After literally the 'adventure, ahoy' seafaring while returning home after the Trojan war, Ulysses is quite unrecognisable, given his tattered clothes and beggared looks. 

The only two faithfuls to immediately acknowledge him are his parent like nanny and his doggie. Even Penelope who spent a lifetime saving self (and his rightful kingdom) for his sake cannot locate him that instantly. Two loves indeed that are deep, selfless, genuine, and beyond any motives! Well, no wonder, the anagram of 'dog' can be 'god'!

Pratima@ Sanju has a little beagle/ a little dog with a golden heart/ And wherever that Sanju is/ you would find Tasha, and that is no art!