The streetie as an artist's muse

In literature or art, the depiction of Indian cities and public spaces is incomplete without the presence of the street dog

- Avantika Bhuyan

Munshi Premchand's Doodh ka Daam (1934), or "Price of Milk", is about many things—caste inequalities, social justice and empathy. However, the one thing that lingers long after you have read the short story is the relationship between a poor farmer, Mangal, and a village stray, Tommy. There is such an affinity that they share the same cot, the scraps doled out to Mangal by the landlord, and understand each other perfectly. In a world of discrimination, the two find companionship in each other.

The figure of the street dog has always been an integral part of the Indian cultural topography, be it in literature, painting, illustration or photography. From Premchand and Ruskin Bond to contemporary writers and artists, each has created portraits of the "streeties", without whom the city's landscape is unimaginable. Take, for instance, The Railway Gang by Bond, which is set in a railway station and looks at the community that comes up around the lone pup, Chottu, and the resident dog gang led by Raja. The guard of the Delhi-Doon express, schoolchildren, the station master—all become a part of this lively story of survival and resilience.

The street dog features prominently in contemporary children's literature, in novellas, picture books and wordless books. Adventures of Brownie (2025), authored by Sanjana Kulkarni and illustrated by Sushmita Gangalapadu, delves into a special relationship between a wildly imaginative stray and a squirrel. While Brownie ends up getting into all kinds of mischief, his tiny friend keeps him grounded.

Rajiv Eipe's