The Adorable Gaddi Dogs of Himachal
Meghna ‘Phoenix’ Ghatak
Himachal has seen a boom of tourism in the last
decade with people clambering to its various scenic spots the second mercury
spikes above 40 degrees Celsius in their native regions. With the heat
soaring straight to the sun every summer in the plains, the various hill
stations sequined across the map of India offer temporary respite. A Himachal holiday with the entire family is
costly, not to mention long with the absence of direct trains and
planes. Still the traffic there
overflows with overbooked hotels and taxis charging skyrocketing prices for a
visit to the highest possible tourist hubs such as Rohtang pass for a slight
snow experience. It at times burns a hole in the pocket of the ever
suffering middle class.
My nuclear, middle class family of three members
decided to embark on a Himachal adventure this summer after the Modi wave swept
the entire nation with a spectacular second time victory. The mercury was
touching 45 degrees Celsius in the central state of Madhya Pradesh and was ever
threatening to soar further up. Hence we booked ourselves three seats in a Delhi
bound train and post a few hours' wait, transferred in an AC coach to
Manali. The chill in the air was felt straight from Chandigarh, where we
stopped for dinner and toilet breaks.
There were a few stray dogs curled up in the reddish soil, unfettered by
the screeching sounds of the highway, frequently scurrying away at the sight of
human approach.
When we reached Manali the next morning, we were
greeted with sights of a bountiful river gushing wild on white stones amidst chasms
lined with coniferous trees. The roads were somehow running parallel to
them, minus the boundaries and one could stare right into the roots and foam of
the tall trees and the river. Picturesque cottages nestled in the backdrop of
snow-capped and green-draped mountains appeared to have leaped out of a child's
typical drawing of sceneries - complete with the sun rising. Big furry dogs
were calmly observing the long procession of Volvo buses into their territories
along with vibrantly dressed humans pausing from their daily
routines.
A brief auto ride through the almost pollution
free streets of Manali lined by big and small hotels took us to the village of
Prini, where our Airbnb booking awaited us. The moment we entered the
beautiful wooden cottage complete with an Apple tree in its compound, we were
welcomed by the wagging tail of a huge Tibetan Mastiff, Tom. The owners were at first a bit worried about
our temperament towards him but the moment Tom licked and hugged us and I let
out a squeal of childish laughter, did the owners rest easy. My parents and me
had recently lost our beloved dogs one after the other and were parched of
their companionship on an everyday basis. Hence when Tom bounced around us with
jovial black and white fur floating with the cool breeze, tongue lolling from
his happy snout; we accepted him wholeheartedly. He would bask in the
morning sun at my parents' feet and walk around the cottage by my heels. He
would even wait for us to arrive from our daily excursions and drop us to our
daily commute.
I had a tearful goodbye with Tom when we checked
out of the beautiful cottage and moved on with our sojourn towards
Dharamshala. Throughout the journey, I kept on peeping back at the silly
selfies I had clicked with him. Upon
reaching Kangra, we encountered several calm mastiff type Gaddi dogs snoring
peacefully in the splendid tea gardens sprawled for acres at end. When I
pet one, several more raced through the boulevards lining the tea shrubs, eager
to be petted and probably fed. I clicked
selfies with them after our local driver told us that they were not aggressive
and the dogs happily obliged. I made more furry canine friends at the majestic
Norbulingka Institute, Tsuglagkhang Monastery Complex which is the private
abode of the present Dalai Lama in Mcleodganj to as far as the Chail Palace.
A temple priest's pet dog named ‘Doggy’ introduced us to his friends who looked
like Bhutia dogs due to their large size and extra fur around the water-deprived
Bhagsunath Falls.
These dogs mostly keep to themselves and
occasionally click pictures with fellow dog loving tourists like me and also at
times, accept tokens of food in exchange. I found them at every nook and
cranny of human habitation in and around the tourist destinations in Himachal
Pradesh. They may be feral but their pristine presence lends an added ambiance
of the exquisite natural beauty and loyalty to the good people of the
hills. I wish they continue to thrive and flourish, increasing the
tourism and beauty of the state that is the abode of the gods - Himachal
Pradesh.
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