Running and street dogs - II

Deccan Gymkhana Post office. Estd. 1923.

What can you do about street dogs?  

This is the follow up. See Part I.    

This is important. It’s all about body language.  Yours and the dogs.

1.       Barking dogs really don’t bite.  They are warning you off.   They may not even look at you.  Do not stare at them.  But this behavior could change to an attacking one. Be alert. 

2.       If a dog lopes towards you quickly and kind of growls in a low tone with hackles raised, this is bad news.  He/she wants a piece of you.   Stop.  Face and look them in the eye.  Make yourself big by raising and waving your arms. Shout. And walk out of their space slowly.  Don’t kick.

3.       To preempt this, pretend to throw a pebble at them.  They have been pelted so often in India that they will run away by conditioning.

4.       Dogs in packs could be serious trouble.  If you are going past an agitated pack, walk or wait for them to pass.   If one chooses to bark at you, all will follow and then they tend to go into a ‘hunting’ mode.  Pick up stones and hurl to hit. 

I have not been bitten yet.  I have been ‘attacked’ quite a few times though.  While scary, it has a bright side.   When you are in a long run your mind tends to drift.  Work, family, and other thoughts take you away from the run.   A dogs growl brings you in the here and now like nothings else!   All your senses are alert and you are completely in the present moment.   

Like most fears in our life, keep an eye out for dogs but don’t obsess about them.  For the most part ignoring them works.    And, once in a while, they will bite you in the behind.

Ink and pen and paper

It has been awhile since I went out and drew.  I just inked this tonight to mitigate the guilt.  The old city has some strange structures. This one was bristling antennae for a reason I could not fathom.  They didn't look like the omnipresent mobile phone towers.  And the building was a really acute slice in an angled narrow lane.  And the dark rain stains that dominate all Indian architecture.
Was listening to "Miles runs down the voodoo".  14 minutes of driving bass with Miles trumpet on top. Most excellent.  And then "Jean Pierre".  It was one of those "Essential" music albums that I never thought I would buy but that's what you get in music stores in India currently. Compilations, "Best of's", and other selections " Dance Party XXX".  I also possess "Essential Bruce Springsteen".  You can order stuff on-line now but browsing for music is always nice.

Six Blade Knife, do anything for you.

"..Do anything you want it to. One blade breaking my heart.
One blade tearing me apart."

Today was Ganesh Chaturthi. First day of the Ganesh festival.  Took the day off.  In the afternoon went to the  old city to draw and look at festivities. Found this stone facade that was quite ornate.  "Nagarkar "Dagdi" ( stone) wada".  This doorway encloses a traditional courtyard and homes around it in a contained neighbourhood called a "wada".  The colorful banners line this really narrow street in Budhwar Peth.  Close to Appa balwant Chowk.

Started a new sketchbook.  Also found my "Legend" CD.  And heard my "Dire Straits: Dire Straits" a few times over on my drive to a  trek to Visapur this weekend.  "Six Blade knife".  The whole album is so laid back and great to hear.

High Sierra

Watching Humphrey Bogart as I finished inking and coloring this.  This is one "machine" from an astronomical observatory in the middle of New Delhi.  It was built around 1700's by the Maharajah of Jaipur. I was on my way to a meeting near the Indian Parliament house. The largest democracy in the world debates and passes bills and legislature there.   It rained suddenly and I waited under a Frangipani tree full of white blossoms.  I stood and drew with a pencil and then inked the outline.   Not too much smudging despite the rain.   It was very gratifying to draw it there.  You notice so much more than when just taking a picture.

Gym Cycle Generator

In  old Pune city this is an old temple dedicated to Ganapati ( or Ganesh).  Since the city of Pune has so many temples dedicated to Ganesh, the temples are referred to by their location. This one is called Kasaba Peth Ganapati.  This temple is a few hundred years old.
In the back courtyyard I found this stationary excercise bike that has been adapted by the local electrical/electronics  industry as a human powered generator.  Pune has numerous and unpredictable power outages.
As I drew this, a person who worked in the temple, came and looked at my drawing. On his cell phone, he showed me a picture of Ganesh he had painted.  He seemed to feel both sorry for me, and superior, as he asked me if I was limited to my sketch book and one black pen.  All his paintings are large and  in color. Oils. Winsor-Newton (a famous English paint manufacturer).  He then told me he was a "hard" man but his anger and rage issues have been calmed by this Ganesh in particular.    It was very uncomfortable looking into his dark glasses as he shared this.  Big vermillion mark on his forehead framed by long greasy hair.   I said it looked like rain and left hastily.