The original book, published by Kalpavriksh, is in English. It is based on a true incident and is a memoir of sorts. Chitty is a small stray dog who finds a home in a farm located in the Western Ghats, in the jungles of Karnataka. She is a wise, sensitive, fun-loving dog and does not seek much attention. She adapts to the forest farm quite well and spends a lot of time in the open fields and surroundings, forming bonds with other creatures in the jungle. Her favourite pass-time is to look silently at the dark, starry skies, as if trying to decipher the mysteries that exist deep therein and within.
Alongside the story of the flora and fauna in the Western Ghats, the changing monsoon patterns, and lives of those dependent on it getting affected— all weave into the backdrop of the book. This becomes food for thought about the close connection between nature and humans, which the latter tend to overlook, especially when living at a ‘comfortable’ distance from it.
The author gets used to Chitty’s presence sooner than she can comprehend. Thirteen monsoons pass by. As both the human and dog grow older, their interaction and communication get stronger and more comfortable. So much so that when it is time to say goodbye, it leaves the author melancholic and numb. The last chapter of this beautifully written and illustrated book leaves your eyes moist and has you thinking about death… and life. And the continuity.
The book has an intensity, emotion, and beauty to it, which makes sure you read it in one go. Whether its Chitty’s playfulness, the rich landscape or some moments of emergency, the description holds your rapt attention. In fact, the translation reads as well as an original, in that it retains the essence quite effortlessly, and that is very rare.
Illustrator Rajiv Eipe’s phenomenal imagery lends the same depth to the Forest as it does to Chitty’s eyes! He equally captures the many varieties of trees and birds, as he does the numerous emotions in Chitty’s eyes and face. At the end of the book, one feels one has just come back from a long, adventurous, overwhelming journey to visit a Dog and her Forest Farm in the Western Ghats. What could be more satisfying and fulfilling than that!
A book worth keeping for a lifetime… at least.