Ashok G.V.

Zulu

I was in 9th grade. My friend Siddharth had just joined my school after having moved from the middle east to Bangalore. I offered to share my lunch with him and when his house was close to my grandmother’s, I decided to stop by and get to know him and his family better. That is when I saw this magnificent black german shephard with thick black coat unable to stop barking at the sight of me, not out of ferociousness but out of an excitement to meet me and get to know me better. At barely 5 feet 2 inches back then, I would get easily intimidated by dogs that far outweighed my tiny stature. Yet there was something about this fellow that put all my fears to rest. As he came and jumped on me revealing a towering dog, I experienced what is perhaps the most unqualified form of loyalty and affection I will ever experience. It was my first interaction with Zulu, Siddharth’s little brother and a friend I personally can never forget.

What stood out about Zulu was his innocence combined with a intuitiveness and childlike charm. Jumping over me was a game to him and after a while I began using my school bag as a shield. After an attempt or two, our pal pretended to walk into a room, the entrance to which had a long curtain drawn. As I carelessly turned around, this bloke did a complete ‘U’ turn and before I could react had jumped on me. What we saw then was a face which showed accomplishment and yes Zulu was a very expressive bloke that way.

On the various nights I stayed over at his place, this fellow would check on me every two hours by licking my face and would go away only after I gave him the thumbs up about everything being alright. The synergy between Siddharth’s family and Zulu, to me represented the purest form of love towards animals. Siddharth’s mum would religiously apply the thika on Zulu’s forehead after the routine evening pooja. In the many playful fights Zulu and Siddharth would have, his mother would support Zulu and encourage him to fight Siddharth; which Zulu never did of course. They shared a bond which sent positive vibes all around the house which perhaps drew me to visit them whenever I could. I guess that is why they say the love of a dog can make everything else trivial in comparison!

As Siddharth’s family moved to the other end of the city, I got to see them on far lesser occasions. The last time I did see Zulu, instead of the playful little child was a wise fatherly sort of a figure. Yet he retained his childlike innocence and charm. My friend Siddharth too moved to Finland to pursue some higher studies and had one occasion to see Zulu the last time he was here. The excitement on Zulu’s face as he saw Siddharth is perhaps one of the most heart warming videos I have seen. What stood out again though was Zulu’s expressive face! He had a way of talking to you without speaking our language and I suppose that power came out of the purity only his soul could boast of.

Zulu passed away a few days back. I can only imagine the grief and sorrow it must have caused to his family and my friend. The loss of a dog leaves a profound emptiness. There is something inherently divine about these creatures. How else can one explain the unfettered loyalty, love and affection that they show to man, whose misdeeds are well known to one and all. Even among these royal creatures, Zulu carves a space for himself in our hearts that few other human beings or dogs can. Albeit, my limited interactions with him, he became one of the finest fellows I knew and grew on me in a way no one else did. I obviously cannot pretend to be feeling the same level of grief Siddharth and his family are currently going through. But yet, I know that my life will never be the same knowing Zulu is not around. I am certain Zulu is in a better place, as he deserves. He gave and gave and received just as well. Yet what he did for us, I doubt we can ever repay him, either in this birth or the next. So here is to Zulu, man’s best friend and the finest creature I have ever known! May your soul rest in peace buddy!