Beda, beda, pataki beda

On Sunday morning, Bengaluru’s

pets

and their owners got together to drive home a point — don’t burst crackers that not just scare and harm animals but also pollute the environment. Are you listening?

Each year, Smitha Reddy celebrates Deepavali at her estate in Chikkamagalur. For no other reason apart from saving her seven pet dogs the torture they face in the city during that duration, thanks to firecrackers. “My dogs don’t eat for three days because of all the noise made from bursting firecrackers. They get very stressed out and hide under the beds and tables at home. They are scared to even go out to relieve themselves,” she says. But this year, Smitha hopes to celebrate the festival of lights (and not sound) in Bengaluru, along with her seven furry besties, which is why she participated in a protest walk near Gandhi Bazaar on Sunday morning, which had actor
and animal rights activist Samyukta Hornad leading from the front.
The morning saw a bunch of happy dogs and pet parents gather, with placards and balloons, to register their protest against a noisy, polluted Deepavali. Samyukta was approached by a dog trainer, who she is working with on her next project, to help spread awareness of a noise-and pollution-free Deepavali. Having seen how stressed out the sound of firecrackers used to make her pet dog, Gunda, she instantly jumped on board. “People who have had pets know the importance of this. I remember when Gunda (who she lost recently) was around, it used to be a task for three days to calm him down and get him to eat. Older dogs face a lot of nervous issues and can even have cardiac arrest. It’s very stressful for birds as well. Because animals can’t speak, we must speak up for them,” says Samyukta.
Morning walkers and foodies who were at popular eateries
in Gandhi Bazaar were surprised to see the many dogs and humans chanting, “Beda, beda, pataki beda” early on Sunday morning. What was encouraging was that many seemed to be in agreement with the protestors; one man even joined the march on his bike. So, will this Deepavali see less
firecrackers and more diyas? Bangalore Times hopes so.