Adopt-a-Pup

The Animal Shelter at Tiruvannamalai is doing amazing work undertaking sterlisation operations on both male and female dogs and cats. The Shelter helps injured and sick animals and is also a sanctuary for animals who are unable to survive in the World by themselves.

The Shelter takes in street dogs for sterlisation operations and after convalescence from surgical procedures, dogs are released back into the same area from where they were originally taken. But sometimes young puppies end up at the Shelter.

This is a very sweet orphaned family of young pups waiting for a loving Master to come along and adopt them.

Cute just isn't a strong enough word to describe these little angels!

It's easy to see that the Shelter is well run and that all residents receive lots of loving attention from a dedicated Shelter staff.

The below blue cage is this puppy family's private residence. A Shelter worker has just let them out, in order to take out the straw bedding and replace it with fresh, clean straw (a procedure repeated daily).

A giant person looks down at one of the young puppies, who is of course, fearless in its secure and loving environment.

In the below photograph, the man holding the pup is called Iyyapan. He comes from a local farming family that has land next to Samudram Lake. I was surprised to see him looking for a dog to adopt at the Shelter because usually in the countryside there are plenty of roaming dogs to choose from. But Iyyapan was particularly interested in adopting a black coloured dog - as black dogs are regarded as lucky and auspicious. Well Iyyapan really must believe the folk lore because he ended up adopting two black puppy brothers. Excellent news for the Shelter and also good news for the two puppies as they will be ending up at a very pretty area.

The below photograph is of an Indian squirrel - of which the area abounds. This little chap got separated from his Mum and has been officially adopted by the Animal Shelter. He has a very nicely equipped cage but spends alot of his time away from his snug little home, running up and down welcoming arms.

Adult, sterlised dogs are available at the Shelter for adoption to good homes. Dogs and puppies receive all relevant innoculations and are in excellent condition. So if you live in Tiruvannamalai and want a dog, come by the Animal Shelter and check out some of the canine friends waiting for a loving Master and snug home.

Nataki meets Bhavani

This is an extraordinary story that will have to be told in many parts. But to begin with I'll tell you how Nataki (an old lady) met Bhavani (a beautiful child) and how their lives have joined.

Bhavani was born on January 24th, 2003 in a small village about 27 kilometres from Tiruvannamalai. Her family are of a good Hindu Tamil caste and are pious devotees of the Devi; even to the extent of participating in fire-walking ceremonies that still take place in Tamil Shrines and Temples dedicated to the Divine Mother.

The day after her birth, Bhavani's Mother (accompanied by a close relative) travelled to Tiruvannamalai to plead with Nataki to arrange for someone to take the child. There was the fear, as already there were three girls in the family, that a near relative might finish off the child with poison.

For someone living outside the harsh, survival realities of the ordinary Indian, it is difficult to conceive that a girl child could be so targeted. The reality is money. In India a girl has to marry and move from the protection of her father's home to that of her husband's. But in order to get a husband, the bride's family has to pay dowry. And where is a simple, ordinary man, living a day-to-day existence, going to get a minimum of Two Lakhs (Rs.200,000/-, i.e. approx U.S.$5,000/-) for his daughter's dowry?

It's tragic but there is a reason why in India having a girl child is regarded as, 'watering another man's garden'. The reason is the girl's family have to actually pay (i.e. dowry) for her to go and live in another man's home (i.e. with the husband and his family).

Nataki, who was born a high caste Brahmin, had remained unmarried throughout her life so as to dedicate her life to God. She had lived permanently at Arunachala since her move in 1950 and had selflessly dedicated her life to the poor, deprived and most disadvantaged in the community.

In 2003, Nataki nearing 70 years of age, had a small room at Ramana Ashram, was serving both in the Mother's Samadhi at the Ashram and also attending to patients at the Ramana dispensary.

With little money, no thought for her own comfort or whether she would even be allowed to live at Ramana Ashram with a tiny new-born child, Nataki unhesitatingly took the child from the distraught Mother and from that day has raised the child as her own. She did in fact have to leave her Ashram room and take accommodation outside for herself and the child.

Bhavani is now 3 years and 5 months old, and as you can see from the photograph a shining, lovely, happy girl.