They’re not summoned by a whistle but the familiar smell of khichdi, a traditional dish of rice and lentils. Himanshi Varma carries two large bags through this New Delhi neighborhood, where in the chaos of the Indiancapital, her evening ritual begins.
For seven years, Varma has fed the city’s roaming strays – a silent pact she’s made with these homeless dogs after adopting a puppy born under the staircase of her home. Using her own savings, she has paid for the sterilization of more than 500 animals and found homes for hundreds more. “There’s no count and there’s no end,” she said as the pack of “Indies,” as Indian strays are affectionately known, play in the nearby grass.
