Of Santas (& Bantas) in Delhi Decembers...

Is there something about the cold that makes us more human?

In Delhi, over the past ten days, temperatures have been dipping. Winter winds from the Himalayas have been blowing through the streets and the sun has been warming us for barely a couple of hours during the day.

Nothing unusual for this time of year. Delhites don't mind. Of course, they complain, but that's just the perennial human dissatisfaction we all share for the Weather (whatever it may be at that point of time; "too hot", "too cold", "too rainy" - take your pick according to your corner of the universe)

For the most part though, everyone in Delhi loves the fact that they live in an Indian metro city that actually has a winter.

Late mornings spent cozying in Rajais, hot chole-bature, endless cups of hot tea or coffee, window shopping in the warm fashions of the season, the occasional bonfire at a party and of course, Scotch (that golden standard of a good time in saddi Dilli) - people make the most of the winter here.

That's just the general backdrop around this time of the year.

Now for the real reason behind this entry. Here she is:

Circa 2009, winter, in a hand-me-down from one of her proverbial best friends

It's clearly not the best protection against anything - even if it wasn't torn. But the banian (singlet) she's wearing just shows that someone cared enough.

She most likely also has a plastic tub with water somewhere - a discarded home-delivery thingie, with a few biscuits or stale roties alongside. She came right up to me, tail wagging, no fear of humans, so it's likely that she's been spared the cruelty of some of her not-so-best two-legged friends.

Then there's the blackie, with his cushion, which someone was thoughtful enough to move onto a pile of sand, so he could laze on it and catch some vitamin D during the day (...but forgot to move it back to under the common staircase at night - hey! don't blame them so easily...no one's perfect :-)

Blackie, curled up on his cushion

All around south Delhi, I see more such examples of humanity in the winter. While the labradors and alsatians I pass in the Jahanpanah forest on my daily runs are smartly turned out in expensive doggie tartans, their lesser cousins on the street corners too show evidence of friends who care.

Come December and Santas (& Bantas) of Dilli seem to get bitten by the seasonal cheer :-)

I may be going out on a limb here, but I'm not sure we feel as generous towards our best friends in the summer. What say?