In a new book, New Delhi-based writer-translator Gillian Wright pays tribute to her Labrador who passed away last year
Gillian Wright with Mishty’s daughter Soni and her partner writer Mark Tully. Pic/Ajay Gautum
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In the summer of last year, when writer-translator Gillian Wright was visiting her mum in England, she was still nursing the pain of losing her dog of nearly 14 years, Mishti. In the quiet of her home, away from the chaos of New Delhi, Gillian remembers being reeled into the many stories of her pet canine, who walked into her and partner Sir Mark Tully's life during the wee hours one morning. "Precisely 3 am," she recalls. Soon, Gillian found herself penning down these memories. Before she had realised, the cathartic exercise had translated into beautiful, short vignettes on her dog. Her new children's book Mishti: The Mirzapuri Labrador (Speaking Tiger) is an extension of Gillian's personal tale of love, loss and longing for her dog. "Mishti had immense energy and our house was full when she was there. She lived a good long life, and we had many adventures together. When she passed away last year, I felt she deserved this [tribute]," says Gillian of why she decided to write this personal account.
The book, which combines charming illustrations by Anitha Balachandran, pieces together the story of Mishti's birth in Mirazpur, Uttar Pradesh, her coming into the lives of Mark and Gillian and how she took charge of the household with her crazy and often, terrifying antics. "All the adventures in this book are true. These things actually happened," says Gillian, who is most known for her translation of two modern classic novels of Hindi literature, Raag Darbari by Shrilal Shukla and A Village Divided by Rahi Masoom Reza. "But, there is a lot to Mishti than what I put within the pages of this book," she admits.
Gillian's dog, Mishty, who died in 2016
Gillian, who lives with veteran journalist Tully in Nizamuddin, Delhi, says that adopting Mishti had been a "spur of the moment" decision. The two were still coping with the loss of Soni, their Labrador, when their friend Edward from Mirzapur had asked if they were keen on taking in the newborn. "We really missed her very, very much. She was an incredible dog and we thought we weren't ready. It was a tough period for us, and so, we refused," says Gillian.
However, when Edward made the suggestion again, a few months later, the couple jumped at the idea. In the book, Gillian speaks of how the two of them had waited for one entire day, before Mishti unexpectedly arrived at 3 am one night. "As soon as the door opened a crack, Mishti's nose appeared and then Mishti, pushing her way in — small and gold, straining on her lead with all her might… Mishti walked right past Gilly [Gillian] and right past Mark and across their flat straight to the water, as if she already knew where it would be. Mishti sniffed around, and pattered in and out. Eventually she too went to sleep. As if she knew she had come home," Gillian writes while remembering that day in her book.
From here on, the book revisits the many adventures the couple had with their dog. From Mishti relishing animal poop and chasing her own tail like a dervish, to driving away with their electric car and setting a room of their house on fire — here, Mishti's daughter Soni, who Gillian tells us is Soni No. 2, joined in the mischief. Excited after a bathing and blow dry session, Mishti tossed her foam dog-bed on top of the fan heater, setting the curtains on fire. Mishti and Soni escaped unhurt, but not before lighting up the room, recalls Gillian.
As a child, Gillian never remembers being a dog person. "I was more of a cat and rabbit person. In fact, I found dogs big and intimidating," she says. The change happened, when she moved to India in the late 1970s. "Mark is really fond of dogs and has always had them. Soon, I began to warm up to them too," she says.
But, while Tully, now 81, is responsible for all the love and pampering, Gillian doubles up as a taskmaster, always throwing in the 'bad doggy!' reprimand or 'good doggy!' bait to discipline the kids. "Mark loves and adores dogs. But, he is not someone who will take them to the vet, feed them or do all the practical things. That's my job," she says between laughs. "Though Mark is very particular about taking the dogs out for walks, and it's a good exercise for him too."
After losing Mishti last year, the couple now spends time with her daughter Soni, who Gillian jokes doesn't like discussing her age. Apart from that, they also spend quality time with the street animals in their colony, many of whom have been sterilised. Through Mishti's story, Gillian doesn't just intend to amuse readers, but also hopes to talk about the responsibility involved in taking care of a pet. "For starters, you are looking after a creature that can't speak. Living near a shelter home in Delhi, I have seen a lot of animals being abandoned. This is because one uses them only as a status symbol. Dogs are a lot of responsibility, it's like having a child, and they are not just a possession. When you take in a dog, you are acquiring another member of the family, which you have to look after from the cradle to the grave."
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