Kali lives at 7000 feet above the sea level in a village crowned by the silvery white ranges of the Himalayas.
I met her recently when I stayed in a beautiful cottage in Gagar, Uttarakhand. The White Peaks, https://thewhitepeaks.com, is a boutique homestay owned and run by an energetic couple from Delhi – Aparupa and Abhijit. Kali is the resident dog of this charming place. She accompanies guests on hikes through groves of huddled Oaks. She closes in with them to soak up the warmth from the fireplace. She listens to conversations with deep comprehension in her amber eyes.
It wasn’t always this cushy for her. She was a stray wandering the ridged slopes of the hills covered in tall Silver Oaks. On a clear day you could see her clambering through the terraced pathways of the valley in search of food. A black dot, within the brown meadows and the curtain of trees.
It was Aparupa who spotted her six years ago. Anytime she arrived at the cottage, Kali came running up the snaking road to greet her and spend time with her. They became friends and Kali became the seasonal visitor and a guest.
After a few years, Kali gave birth to a litter of pups next to a shanty under a big Deodar tree. All her pups except one were adopted with Aparupa’s help. On a stormy night when the wind tore through the sky and ice clasped the hills, Aparupa brought Kali and her young one to the cottage. She gave them a home – somewhat.
At a pink sunset, Kali and her pup went down to the stream, close to the forest. The last rays of the sun were fading over the treetops. A leopard came out of the dark shadows and took the pup. Kali managed to escape.
Kali returned to the cottage. She didn’t eat for ten days. When she started to eat again, she lived on in the cottage. She became a much loved resident.
She is now a White Peaks team member. She goes down to greet the guests when they arrive. She sits patiently while they eat – not begging, but simply making herself noticeable.
She gets love and gives love.
