Last week I was introduced to Indias most famous dog. I met Editor, a spoilt south Delhi brat with a weakness for Parmesan cheese and chocolate chip cookies. A resident of Nizamuddin East, an up-market neighbourhood dotted with gardens and ruins, Editor owns a nice collar, a nice leash and a serviceable winter coat. Every newspaper reading Indian knows this. I will tell you why.
Editor also owns two pets Sumita and her husband, Vinod Mehta. As the editor of Outlook, an influential Indian newsweekly, Mr Mehta, who is unpopular among some Indians for being kind to Pakistan in his articles, often puts in a nugget or two on Editor in Delhi Diary, the popular column on the magazines last page. That explains the exposure of a family secret all three share the same bedroom. Editor snores on the sofa; the Mehtas on the double bed. However, unlike other pampered Nizamuddin East pets, Editor is not pedigreed. Around seven years ago, he was found shivering in a ditch in Gurgaon, a Delhi suburb.
I entered the apartment of the Mehtas in the evening. Mr Mehta was away at his office in Safdarjang Enclave, while Editor was having his siesta in a small book-lined room that looked like a study. A friend gave him to us, said Mrs Mehta as she kissed Editor on his lips, patted him and called him sweet names like Eddie and Ed.
But why this name Editor? Because like most editors he is willful, stubborn and thinks he knows everything so had said Mr Mehta in one of his diary entries.
Like others, Editor must have his outings. In the evening, a lady called Chanda joins him for a walk. If Mr Mehta is home early, he goes instead. Once he reported in Delhi Diary: The other day I was taking Ed for his evening walk when I heard someone shouting behind my back, Editor, Editor! I thought the gentleman had some important work with me or perhaps wanted to say nice things about the diary I wrote. When I rushed to him, he said nonchalantly, Sorry, I was not calling you, but your dog!
I followed Ms Chanda as she took out Editor for a walk. As he lifted his leg against a pilkhan tree, she said, Both Saheb and Memsaheb love Editor more than parents would love their child.
A woolly-headed liberal in his own words, Mr Mehta goes all mushy-gooey on sighting anything canine and homeless. There are at least five dogs hanging around his apartment complex, all said to be fed daily by him with milk and bread, chewies and biscuits. The chowkidar identify three by name Bhola, Daisy and Kalu.
Once Mr Mehta wrote: Besides our very own Editor, at last count I was feeding a dozen stray dogs. Three or four at the office and the rest in the colony. Bhola and Daisy live in our lane and have first claim on our affection in the shape of food and medical care. In the side lane, we have five or six who we also feed. A fortnight ago, one of the bitches produced a litter and now we have to look after an extra four puppies whose appetite is huge. The black pups are absolutely adorable and I am very tempted to pick up one and bring him/her up. Editors permission, naturally, is mandatory; however, there is another problem. My wife and I feel it would be cruel and unfair to adopt one and leave the rest.
No sooner did we reach a few ruins, not far from Mr Mehtas home, Bhola came running, and started licking Editor who licks him back.
Are they gay? Im not sure, said Ms Chanda. Saheb got operation done on both of them.
This must have restrained Editors basic instincts but his baser emotions are worsening. Hes very stubborn, Ms Chanda said. He is steadily growing middle-aged, lazy and grumpy, Mr Mehta once observed. Editor has bitten off a few people. He often attacks those who look like beggars, or rag pickers, or some such poor people. This categorization would bring no smile to those who admire the Outlook editors engaging writing, as well his slightly left-of-center beliefs.
Mr Mehta is infamous among the right-leaning readers owing to his self-confessed pseudo-secularist status. He is accused of being a Congress party sycophant, a lover of Muslims, and a professional peacenik for India-Pakistan friendship. Sample this readers response to a Delhi Diary entry on how Editor chewed up the sole picture that Mr Mehta had taken with the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. It appeared on the magazines website: Vinod Mehta your Dog, Editor seems to be more sensible and rational than you. He did what all rational and sensible ppl would do, on seeing a photo of the worlds original terrorist..Tear it up..he was not content with just tearing the pic.. he probably didnt trust you, hence he chewed it up! methinks, you should interchange jobs with your dog.. he will be a fine editor and you will be a fine housedog Kvijai Atlanta USA
Mr Mehta might agree over Editors editing skills. Once he wrote, When I meet Editor in the evening after a trying day at the office, most of my troubles go far away. Another time Mr Mehta had said, Possibly the best decision I made in my life was to acquire Editor.
The sentiment, hopefully, is mutual.
Mayank Austen Soofi lives in a library. He has one website (The Delhi Walla) and four blogs. The website address: thedelhiwalla.com. The blogs: Pakistan Paindabad, Ruined By Reading, Reading Arundhati Roy and Mayank Austen Soofi Photos.