Author: A.P.K. Nair
Pong Pong Pillai
Noting on record the contents of a letter submitted by the owner of Flat No.1 on the Ground Floor of Building No.5 facing the main road opposite Ganpati Temple in the Swarajya Society in chaste Marathi language as true and genuine in as much as the Complainant neither has Cynophobia nor is a member creating unwanted problems for the Society, the Managing Committee Members were unanimous in agreeing on convening an urgent General Body Meeting. They consulted the person whom they always trusted and consider most sagacious, Jayachandran Pillai aka JC Pillai, who is the Society's Manager-cum-Advisor ever since its inception, on modalities. Having encountered a dog attack near the precincts of the Society by him recently while riding naked feet on his scooty wearing black dhoti and shirt on account of Mandala Vratam (41 days ritual before proceeding to Sabarimala), he was attacked by two dogs, Pillai was in full agreement with the suggestion and he lost no time in preparing and obtaining signatures of President and Secretary and circulate a notice by which members were notified to be present themselves in an urgently convened meeting to discuss the Kutra Samasya (Dog Problem) faced by the Society in general, and some members in particular.
Thus commenced the meeting on the appointed date and time. Expectedly, four members, each one of whom owned a pet dog and were regularly using and/or misusing the Society's premises to stroll around with their pet and offer comfortable bathe for them through the common water pipeline meant for gardening abstained; but the immediate neighbours of all these four flats were in attendance much before the start of the meeting. They reiterated their stand in the meeting and requested the Society to ensure that the Society ban dogs as it is a perennial menace, creating problem for children and elderly persons in particular. Cynophiles never understand the plight of others. For them, the pets are just like their children. The stench of pets does not reach their nostril. They expect the whole world to treat their dogs at par with human beings, if not Gods. As for neighbours, the stench becomes unbearable; children cannot sleep as the barking of dogs run throughout day and night. These pets attack elderly person who are unable to move fast and also small children who cannot resist but carefully turns their tail the other way round and retreats once they sight a person capable of defending himself.
Conspicuous by their absence were three Ailurophiles, each one of them had a cat at their flats. They were persuaded by the Cynophiles that once they are targeted, it may be their turn, and they may find out reasons to drive away their cats alongwith the dogs owned by them. This trick seemed to have played with the sentiments of the cat-lovers, who also decided to opt out of the meeting.
The Secretary read out the notice and communicated the purpose of convening the meeting. Thereafter, the President asked if anyone has any objection in discussing the matter further as there may be pet lovers amongst the attendees, but no hands were raised and the meeting crossed its first hurdle. Then came the discussion on the subject. The Complainant stood up and explained in detail about the ordeal experienced by him and his family. The path opposite the Society buildings, though separated with a small wall made of bricks to avoid trespassing into the Society's premises by outsiders, is being used by the pet lovers as a meeting place on regular basis. How come the narrow path achieved such publicity to conduct this peculiar activity is within no-one's knowledge, but it is a fact that all the owners of pets in the area reach this lane in the morning and evening with their dogs and they made it a meeting place and rather mating place at times for their pets. The poo fills the street; which has now became unusable for walkers. Many attempts to drive them became futile and the pet-owners abuse the residents who complaints about the activity. Numerous dogs of all category is brought in by the owners. Not only that, sensing these beloved one's presence, even street dogs assemble around and barks throughout. The stench and increase of flies over the poo of dogs and thereafter their entry into the nearby ground floor flats create real health hazard in as much as the children at many floors fell sick and became breathless on numerous occasions.
President asked members as to what they all think of overcoming this menace as it is evident that the path outside the Society pointed out by the particular member is unusable now and there is no end to stop this. As the path is not Society's property, the Society could do nothing except complaining to Municipal Corporation.
Members elaborately debated on the issue.
The lone B.A.M.S. Doctor in the Society came up with a detailed report on the diseases which could be caused due to dog poop in the vicinity. She made it clear that this could be caused through flies; children are more prone to attacks by the parasitic infection called toxocariasis, which could lead to stomach problems, cough, fever, and even vision loss.
A lawyer who is the owner of one of the Flats in the Society opined that no useful purpose would be served by pursuing with the Municipal Corporation as there are numerus court judgements on the issue. People treat it as their birth-right to own pets; they are least bothered about other's sentiments, not to mention about the health hazards.
Another member, a devote of Dutt Guru opined that dogs are not to be disliked as Lord himself loved dogs.
With these two exceptions, and also in the absence of four dog and three cat owners, unanimous resolution was passed in the meeting to pursue the matter to any level to ensure full stop to the menace experienced by the members.
Everyone wanted the path leading to the main gate of their Society to be neat and clean, but pursuing the matter with any authorities would not yield much result. Members were more or less convinced by Managing Committee that none would look at their plight on a serious note and their plea would be viewed with utter floccinaucinihilipilification.
The number of Cynophiles are increasing day by day and for them the pets are like their family members. Any complaints against their pet would be viewed as a complaint against them personally. They never look at the problem faced by others; neither they attempt to collect the poo and dispose off at the bin provided by Municipal Corporation for the purpose.
The shadow of many trees planted by the Society provides comfort to the owners and pets which is probably one reason why they all chose this road as their assembly point.
Finally it was resolved by the Society that placards would be erected outside the Society walls requesting the public in general not to use the path as a dog-feeding area and to clean up if their pets poo and spoil the road. Apparently, none shown any interest in following the Society's appeal.
Municipal Corporation allotted a space for assembly of pets, but with strict hoardings that it is the responsibility of each owner to keep the premises neat and clean. No-one took their dogs to that point. The space always remained vacant,
Same fate as that of some Khabutarkhanas (Pigeo feeding areas), people started calling the path as Kutra Galli (Dog Lane). The Society's identification itself became extinct and it is known as the Society adjacent to Kutra Galli. The activity brought such a bad reputation upon the Society itself.
Google, Swigy, Zomato, Uber and all Apps captured 'Kutra Galli' as its landmark. Kutra Gallicha Samor cha Society (the Society near the Dog Lane) - local rickshawalas could identify it only with this narration. Members of adjoining Societies viewed the residents of Swarajya Society with such a sense of epicaricacy; they were passing through such a shameless phase of life.
To add salt on wound, a local politician's servants also started bringing the German Dogs owned by his family. That is where the residents lost all hopes as the Cynophile group have established themselves as a mighty Club by now with these local political support.
Few shops near the Ganpati Temple in the opposite direction, which were hitherto engaged in selling Vada Pav or Misal have changed their business and all of them opened PET CARE SHOPS instead. Business flourished for all of them. A Veterinary Surgeon also opened a Clinic in the vicinity. Weekly flea market also mushroomed on Fridays, dealing in Veterinary products.
Overall, the area became a Kutranche Swarg (Paradise of Dogs).
Those who didn't want to stay put there bearing the stench of drops of dogs at all sold their flats and moved out, but few who could not afford to move out due to many reasons including cost consciousness, remained in the Society, as silent sufferers. The new entrants to the Society recognized their folly after moving in and they started abusing the ex-owners and also the Agents in the area who helped them in acquiring the premises.
'When all other doors get closed, the new one would open'. This is what JC Pillai has always advised the Society Members, in all their meetings. He in his capacity as the mentor of the Society ever since its inception years back, kept on reminding the members about his philosophy of 'never say die'. Pillai advised everyone to acquire Flat in the Society as it is going cheap on account of this menace.
Pillai in his capacity as the Advisor had chalked out a plan to deal with the situation. He convinced people that approaching any authority would be waste of time. Nothing positive would transpire. In fact, it will only add publicity to the area and more and more people with dog from far-away places would also flung the area. No court would entertain as there are animal lovers who achieved much mileage by obtaining orders from various courts to ensure safety of these animals. He, therefore, advised the members to plant a tree, the sapling of which he would provide. Members did as advised by Pillai. They planted a sapling below the existing mango-tree in the compound. The area being in the vicinity of the creek, the sapling grew faster than anticipated by everyone. Prior to each monsoon, as advised by Pillai, the Society members pruned the bigger mango tree, on the pretext that it is being done to ensure that it does not get uprooted or create hurdle during monsoon, but Pillai's actual plans were different. Thus, the sapling provided by Pillai grew faster. On the advise of Pillai, the Members provided a fencing around the tree to ensure that even dry leaves of the tree does not fall at the Society's premises, but it has to fill the path. As it approached the third year, flowers and fruits started appearing on the tree. Pillai strictly advised the members to ensure that no children pluck the leaf, flower or fruit and bring it close to their tongue, as those are deadly. The dark green fruits closely resembled mangoes. There came Pillai, the magician's real ground testing. Pillai took two-three Members staying on upper floors and discreetly advised them to pluck the fruits, burn it slightly by placing above the burner of stove and just throw it near any pet strolling on the path. The foul-smell of the slightly burnt fruit attracts dogs instantly which comes forward instantly to grab the fruit. Once the dog bites the fruit, all its teeth will get stuck inside the pulp of the fruit. No chance of rebuilding the teeth and the dog will have to live throughout its life without teeth. Owners may have to thereafter either spoon-feed or through intravenous methods keep their pets alive. This test has been carried out discreetly by few members and some dog lovers started complaining about the ordeal experienced by their pets. They recognized that the fruits on the tree in the compound are responsible for this, but none could recognize that those were half-burnt - they took it for granted that the ripe fruits create this problem. The Cynophiles could do very little as the tree is within the compound of the Society and no-one could enter inside and prune it. As for human beings, none would dare to eat it as the taste is very bitter; and even otherwise the Society members took care to ensure that children does not go nearby the tree. Soon, word of the mouth publicity gathered momentum that the fruit on these trees would kill their pets, pet lovers started isolating the area and the path became free of dog menace. Society swiftly adopted methods to re-tiling the path and get it beautified and ensured that Suraksha posters are drawn on the walls with beautiful pictures of the Forts of Maratha Kings. Kids from the Society made the path as their skating ground, instead.
But, Pillai didn't tell anyone what kind of a tree this is and wherefrom he got it. Planting a tree is not an offence, but Pillai had this herculean task of advising people not to taste it as it would be hazardous. A Keralite toper in the locality while passing through the path, sighting the fruit lying down, picked it up, smelt it and looked at the hazardous tree and started abusing it saying 'nee ente appane konnathada.. ninne njaan vechekkilla' (you killed my father; I shall not let you live any more). He resurfaced at mid-night and he gate-crashed and with the help of an axe in hand he cut-down the tree in its entirety. Security Guard caught hold of the toper, who confessed before the Members that it is Othalanga (Pong Pong) which killed his father who was a rich businessman once and after he was cheated by his business Partner, he had no other choice but to end his life, by eating the fruit of this tree, and ever since that day, he cannot withstand the sight of this tree. He did destroy more than hundreds of them in the coastal areas of his native place, but how come this is present here was his million dollar counter-question to the Society Members. Upon recognizing that the drunkard is a mallu, the Society people called JC Pillai, who arrived immediately and started grilling him. At the end of altercations with him, Pillai felt a sigh of relief in as much as his advise to the Society as its Manager has found results as he could clear the path off the dog menace, but the more dangerous act of knowingly planting a poisonous tree, the leaf, flower and fruit of which would have caused loss of life if tasted by any humans is also averted now. Pillai thanked Lord Ayyappa for sending this drunkard through this passage, and advised the Society members not to harm the offender as he has done an act which only God could have done by descending on earth. They let the drunkard go, without making any complaint to any authorities including police or municipal corporation. But, few people in the Society still believes that it was Pillai who brought this plant from the water-sides of Kerala was with the help of this very drunkard and Pillai used him only to destroy the tree ultimately, to avoid action from Dendrophiles and Municipal Corporation. YoungGen in the Society googled and found out about the dark sides of this plant called 'killer tree' or 'suicide tree', but none dared to ask Pillai as to how he knew the trick of dogs losing teeth if they attempt swallowing the half-baked fruit. For Pillai, it was the same attitude: 'Kulam Ethra Chanthi Kandu - Chanthi Ethra Kulam Kandu' (pond witnessed numerous cleaning of rumps; and rump too has utilized many ponds to clean off).
Murmuring occasionally about the adventures of Pillai at their unofficial gatherings, the Society members now call him as 'our Savior' and 'Pong Pong Pillai'.