Happy Diwali. I’m Lalitha Krishnan, and you’re listening to Ep #40 of the Heart of Conservation podcast. I bring you stories from the wild that keep us all connected to our natural world.. Firstly, I need to apologise to my listeners as I have been missing from the podcast scene for a while. That’s because I have been working on my memoir. My first ever book, which I self-published earlier this year. It’s called the Stray Dogs of Landour Network. A true story by a Failed Dog Trainer. The Foreword is written by travel writer Bill Aitken.
One of the many reasons I started podcasting is my insatiable curiosity and love for nature. And you will find this wild side of mine ever-present in my book. The setting in the story is a magical mixed forest in Landour, where the deodar and oaks vie for space with the rhodendrons and the kaphal. It is here where Pretty, a miserable wretch of a stray dog, appeared out of thin air. What are stray dogs doing in a forest, you ask? She and her pack live secret lives that slowly unravelled as I got to know them and the hillside caregivers better
Pretty’s appearance was perfectly timed. I was going through a difficult spell physically, and the pandemic had more or paralysed our lives. My two mountain dogs had passed on. I was attending an online follow-up to a dog training course I had attended earlier. Then Pretty arrived and changed my life forever. Over a period of time, I gained her trust. We started training in earnest; she brought home her pup, and then, one by one, her pack. My training goals were soon overidden by a pack of dogs that came out of the woods like clockwork and giving me a whole lot more to do than I bargained for.
They also had so much to share. They introduced me to the true meaning of Ubuntu: I am because we are, giving me insight into their social behaviour and intelligence. The action takes place in an international school campus where some of the caregivers spoke to their regular stray wards in their own languages. That wasn’t an issue at all for the bright mutts. They had it all figured out. They sniffed out the dog lovers from the haters, knew when to arrive or disappear and recognised the biggest succour on the block. Viz me. But I am happier for it.
This is a story of forgiveness, resilience, survival and love. It's the perfect Diwali gift for a dog lover. Do grab yourself a copy if you are one. The Stray Dogs of Landour Network is available in e-format and print. In India, you can buy it from Pothi.com, Amazon and Flipkart.
Also, check out the reviews on Amazon and add yours. You can also read up on a separate review and my article on my blog, Earthy Matters, in the ‘Published’ page.
A heads up. I will be introducing my book to Bangalore on 23rd November at 4 pm at ‘Attagallata, the Bookstore’ in Indira Nagar. Do come if you can. I would love to meet you there. Bye for now.
