Sheru, the Indie-German Shepherd mix breed, who was associated with the Masty success story for more than a decade. Ever since he was a little puppy, most likely deflected off his parents or owners at a very young age, he was at Masty. Soverignity, which can be personified as what he enjoyed at Masty.
One of the staffs at Masty, largely formed of equal mixture of Indian and Nepal origin, spilled some hot oil on this pup. His right abdominal side was badly burnt and mostly lost all the fur in the area, that was regenerated burnt skin. Out of what can be imagined only as - guilt - the staff started taking care of the puppy. Because of the unlimited supply of bones and raw & boiled chicken at Masty, the pup recovered and turned out to be a handsome young dog. Sheru - he was named. Sheru Taa - the war cry, the aggressive command that you tend to train all dogs with. Quite normally most people have - Choo Choo or Shu Shu - followed by the name of the dog. We have imagined, that when a senior staff is going on a long leave, the only two words he can pass on as a mantra, to the young boy who is replacing him in his duties while he is away - is Sheru Taa. The maha-mantra that will keep the young boy safe at the new location - Sheru Taa.
Let’s fast forward to June 2016. When we acquired Masty by increasing our stake from equal to sole owner of a branch. We inherited the staff, the kitchen (without equipments and cutlery) and Sheru. There were other Indie and some mixed breed dogs in and around Masty - with close proximity to Chicken and warmth of safety. So as Sheru grew up, he slowly became the Alpha of Masty. His face had a lot of war-like scars. He must have engaged in a lot of battles late at night, against enemies wanting to scrouge for some chicken remains. His structure and stature were both respectable. There were about 11 dogs some mixed and Indie including our protagonist, Sheru. In the evenings, when Masty operates, for the initial few days, staff needed to be vigilant about Dogs closing proximity with the tables and guests eating in them. After about a month, after being frustrated about the fact that Masty’s Zomato rating dropped from 4.3 to 3.5 within the last two years of operation under the recent Manager. None of the owners cared to be interested, at the time. I came across a Review which talks about Dogs licking Plates late around closure at Masty. The date stamp of the review identifies our innocence, as it happened before our acquisition. That very day, I called a few guys who humanely catch stray dogs and take them away. Partly, because I didn’t want to know and partly because I had some idea about dumping at places like Piraña.
When I announced my decision to get rid of stray dogs. Almost all the staff starting from youngest to the eldest, in one way or the other requested me not give Sheru and Suntali away. While describing his qualities all of them were equivocal. We feel safe if Sheru is around. The primary hygiene problem that I was worrying about didn’t apply to Sheru, as he never went to a table. Irrespective of the time, you will always find him guarding Masty from all infiltrations and attacks externally. Sheru enjoyed soveriginity of the canine world at Masty. The usual Masty bone and fat disposal mechasim was selling it away. One day co-incidentally I saw a lot of crows and a few kites swooping in to catch a bite of fat strings. We stopped selling bones and fat with immediate effect. The Masty Kite feeding show was born. Slowly as we were not selling, the number of kites and crows grew consistently. Kids enjoy it a lot. The swiftness and accuracy of catching a piece that you throw at them or arially.
Fast forward to his castration. For insuring him against testicular cancer largely prevalent among largish Indie Mix dogs. Castration was suggested and it happened, we couldn’t have his pups anymore.
Fast forward to when he hurt himself badly in the cranium or skull. His first stint with maggots. A dog loving friendly couple volunteered to get him surgically operated at site to save him. I remember a conversation with this Sikh Gentleman, regarding the Alpha-ness, feature and life of Sheru.
The above to instances are narrated to me by our trustworthy staff. When they described an incredible - personally verified fact - I felt intrigued. They said he understands schedules. We do not order Tomatoes at a scheduled day frequency within the week. So it is not like we ask for Tomatoes every Modnay, Wednesday, Friday etc. We order Tomatoes whenever we need them. If there is good sale, we may have to order on alternating days. Monkeys love Tomatoes. So when they are ordered, the vegetables delivery guy dumps all the vegetables in the morning around 6:30-7 right next to a staff-occupied table. Sheru understood that Monkey attack is imminent if these red spheres are ordered. I had to verify this. As I trust my eyes, more than my ears, I had to see it. I came down on random mornings and was pleasantly surprised to see this. I was surprised to see him sitting next to vegetables packs. For hours he would patiently sit there. While he was sitting there, like Heimdall, monkey groups although circulating around can’t attempt nicking a few tomatoes, or any other vegetable for that matter. I followed this consistently, checked his nightly movement in CCTV etc, exceptional location choices to make sure kitchen is safe. He spent equal time around all the beds/tables where staff slept. We didn’t have the surrounding compound wall that we recently built. So vulnerability, at least in terms of other dogs - was there. While he was guarding, only the most hungry Om will venture in and he would heroically chase/fight it out. As I observed, understood his role and behaviour, this qualified him from normal stray to one of the most exceptional beings. I have seen a lot of pets, with a lot of people. This has transpired to a lot of conversations and stories about typical behaviour by the pet and owner. None, as understanding and as loyal as Sheru.
Movie industry has tried depicting such understanding and behaviour of pets, particularly dogs in a very special way in a lot of movies. Marley & Me, Teri Meharbanian, Mard, Milo from The Mask and a lot of others. Equally, a lot of celebrity pets and dogs are famous and their celebrity owners are publically seen with their pawed friends. A quick google image search of celebrity pets reveals quite a few known and unknown pet-loving celebrities. Myhtologically too, it is said Yudhishthir argued with the gate keeper of heaven, in the Swargarohan Parv of Mahabharat, to let his companion - a dog - in with him.
Now that Sheru had a new found respect in my head, I noticed that he was aging. Already more than 12+ years at Masty. He was the second most senior staff. He has participated in brawls between staff and overly drunk groups and with other four legged intruders. Multiple Cranial surgeries had left scars on his skull right in the middle of his upright ears, typical GSD feature. Both eyes had cataracts removed. Clipped right ear as a sign of castration performed by AMC. He was filthy. Didn’t like water. An otherwise macho dog, shit scared when you chain him and pull next to the water source. Squeaking like a little puppy, the gentle one has never even tried to bite me. I have personally showered him on more than monthly frequency. Gentle beast. Quietly standing there as the whole process takes place. Sheru - rekindled a different interest in me. We decided to get a few pedigree dogs, so that we support Sheru as he was ageing. The Masty Dog Squad or the Bone Disposal Squad was conceived. 3 - 33 days old Rottweiler pups arrived, from a friend, with pedigree and inquiries. Suntali was also carrying. A litre of milk was added to the daily quota for the newly arrived puppies. A staff was assigned to take care of them. Suntali delivered 7 puppies. My children, their friends started visiting Masty more often with 10 puppies. The office room at Masty or the Command Centre - was transformed to a make-shift Pup Residence. Vaccination schedules understood and executed. They were christened Leo, Speedy and Bosco by the children. Two boys and a Girl were added to the Masty team which erstwhile consisted of just Sheru. Bosco was always supposed to go to Kutchh, at the residence of a family friend. After ~60 days at Masty, Bosco left. Dog Trainer contacted and sessions began. She envisioned and brought a lot of families and their pets, on Sunday mornings. The Sunday Masty group was born. Despite being busy or having a late night, Sunday Masty featured regularly in our family schedule. Variety of Pawed new friends, their loving and typical parents. Some caring, some over protective and some care free. A lot a new and close friends happened. Suntali and her pups left to friends farm. This brought me up close with a lot of issues, people and organisations working in this area. Forceful breeding industry, pets shipped in flights and trains to get them. Illicit OLX trading. Stray population explosion. Indie (Desi) breed slowly being extinct. Irresponsible behaviour by pet parents. Boy friend gifting the girlfriend a dog and girlfriend wants now to give it away as they now have broken up, and the dog reminds her of the relationship, and depresses her. People just leaving pets on the road, like Nirupa Roy leaving children in old movies outside a church or mandir. A bubbled and protected pet will not be able to spend a few days in the urban territorial jigsaw of stray dogs. No food, panic, everyone barking - they loose it. Most die, some survive. Some kind citizenry drop or arrange them to be at Shelters like the one I know in Kathwada. Shiny another lab-dane (more of lab-dober) Mix arrived at Masty and added variety to the group. Sheru was Creamish-Brown. Leo and Speedy were typical Rottweiler colour greyish black with brown patches - as distracting decoys around the eyes, neck and feet. Shiny was jet black and her coat was worthy of her name.
Back to Masty Dog Group, lot of guests now know about Puppies in the office room. They came and played with them, before or after dinner. Sunday’s continued. Leo and Speedy, genetically Rottweilers grew up to be two of the most docile creatures. Children can be left around them safely. Otherwise public perception and popular opinion is them being one of the most ferocious of the breeds. Social circumstances - I believe. The was all of them play with each other on Sundays was incredible to see. Lot of events and stories around Sunday Masty, but back to Sheru. He never participated in any of this. Like the social outcast, who is sulking and observing a group who are enjoying themselves. Time flew, Sheru got the senior figurely respect that he commanded an deserved. Neutering for Leo was scheduled, didn’t work out because of his pre-op blood report showing low levels of Haemoglobin. A few months passed and after Diwali vacation, we realised both Speedy and Shiny were carrying. Co-incidentally when we actually took them to operate for neutering. Shiny had a disappearing episode in the middle. Once retrieved from Kathwada after a WhatsApp and Facebook lost pet campaign. She went out again and came back carrying after a few weeks. We were guilty of not chaining any of them. They were kind and obedient. Never went to the tables and were never aggressive to guests. We made sure that no-one fed them at the table. Their hygiene and schedules were maintained so that they became an attraction instead with guests. Customers who initially wrote stinking reviews regarding Dogs at Masty were now posting selfies with Leo, Speedy or Shiny. Regular checkup’s and the 63 day cycle later, 7 puppies arrived from Speedy. We lost two, five remained and grew up to adoption age. Sunday Masty group was thrilled at arrival. Office room was now a labour cum puppy room. Kids were tasked with finding names for the pups. They were not allowed to touch them for a month. A month after Speedy, Shiny delivered 7 pups. Masty Dog Bregade now has 16 dogs! Two Staff were assigned to take care of the puppies. Speedy was docile but Shiny was aggressive. Puppies cutely fed from
either of the mothers. Sheru - all this while indifferent - the Heimdall.
Fast forward to the decline. Sheru hurt himself two more times. Once was a deep abdominal wound and later as a glass cut on the right hind paw. Seven puppies were adopted in time. Some to be retained. The youngest of Speedy named Choti, was the weakest of them all. She caught distemper, although vaccinated all the puppies still remaining at Masty caught it. Sunday Masty was suspended for safety of the pawed friends. We lost all except one - one at a time. An unfortunate accident with Sheru left him paralysed from this waist. Lot of medicines, visits happened with the vet. He could move his rear legs. The fighter in him, struggled and drag himself outside for bio-breaks. Such routine and loyalty, where I live - I shall not soil. He survived for more than a month like that, staff and doctors tried all avenues. As he couldn’t move his waist, his groin got infected with urine. We wouldn’t bathe him anymore. One Friday afternoon, staff requested me to take a call. The Vet explained the process. We had a usual social get-together at Masty. The vet arrived around eight-nine in the night. With Friday evening rush at Masty, Sheru was readied for his last journey. A needle and a minute later - as I felt his heart rate slow down slowly. ‘He is gone’ - the vet announced. Most of all senior staff was around him. All of them paid their respects. Another pup also had be put down. Arrangements were made for wood. Pure was set. After business closure, as we were having dinner, the staff brought flowers. Most of all had teary eyes. Some hugged each other and cried loudly. Wrapped in a bed sheet - with Ram Bolo Bhai Ram - the staff procession took him to the pyre in the parking. Buckets full of oil, ghee, incense sticks - whatever rituals they knew were conducted. Once all was ready one of them called me. He along with the puppy was ignited.
Just at that moment when they were carrying him Awat, one of my closest friends uttered the words extempore, that formed the title of this blog - ‘Soverignity is not everlasting’.
An hour later, he was burning - mixing slowly with the elements of nature. I went there and spent a quiet couple of minutes at the ashes, the next morning. Shedding quiet tear and bidding adieu to a beloved friend and a loyal staff. He took a part of my interest in Masty Dog Squad. Speedy and Shiny fled again in their heat cycle. We didn’t ‘try’ to bring them back. Leo stays with a relative, eats and visits Masty daily. But Masty Dogs are incomplete without the one called - Sheru. Rest in peace my friend.
~ Remembering - Sheru
