Look through the eyes of Mumbai's strays in a storybook dedicated to them

Pics/Bipin Kokate; Photos in The Book/Hashim Badani; Illustrations/Sumedha Sah

It's 12 noon by the time we reach our last stop at Kings Circle. We've already met Chickoo at Eros Cinema, Hole near Sterling Cinema and Captain at Shivaji Park. However, 15-year-old Periappa, the veteran dada, can't be traced at his usual spot near Anand Bhavan. Abodh Aras, CEO, The Welfare of Stray Dogs, is confident he'll find one of the stars of his new e-book, My City, My Dogs (Pratham). "He's usually snoozing outside one of the eateries that feed him," he chuckles. As predicted, we spot Periappa relaxing under the shade of a tree beside a second-hand bookseller at the buzzing junction.

Animal activist Aras shares nine warm stories about Mumbai's strays in his picture-cum-storybook. Photographs by Hashim Badani and illustrations by Sumedha Sah add insight and perspective to their daily life. Despite the city's backdrop, the universality of their stories is sure to resonate with readers in other cities.
A woof-woof situation, overall.

Log on to: storyweaver.org.in/stories/27450-my-city-my-dogs to download the book and read it for free

Periappa, 15 years
The doughty veteran eats at three different restaurants and loves to snooze when he's done!

Captain, 10 years
This one-eyed hero loves watching cricket matches at Shivaji Park, and running marathons

Hole, 12 years
He was rescued as a puppy from a rat hole by the manager of a church near Sterling. The frisky canine can be spotted greeting moviegoers by the steps of the cinema or the pavement

Chickoo, 10 years
He's friendly and his pals, the security guards at Eros, have even made him a poncho that he uses on chilly nights

Other Stars
Traffic
He would assist traffic cops at the Fountain junction

Kali
This black stray was the darling at Eros building

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