Graveyard at Telco Colony is one of its kinds for dogs in the country
Mail News Service
Jamshedpur : Their epitaphs may be short, but unlike in any other cemetery, it speaks volume about their unconditional love towards their masters.� It is a final resting place of a different kind.
Come to the world of Tata Motors Kennel that has a small graveyard �one of its kinds for dogs in the country. It is a way of saying thank you to man�s best friend.
Interestingly Telco (now Tata Motors) was one of the first industrial units in the country to use dogs for security of its property. A brain child of Lt. Gen. S D Verma (Retd.), the then General Manager of Telco, Jamshedpur the Tata Motors Kennel (the Telco Kennel Division) came into existence on 4 January 1964 with a team of four dogs ( two Alsatians and two Doberman) and four dog handlers who were initially trained by Bombay Police.
An official of the Kennel Division said that the cemetery was set up in the kennel compound a year later in 1964 to keep alive the memory of dogs, who died and as a token of affection for dogs who guarded the company premises.
Kennel Division has since then maintained the graveyard for its canine staff, which looks like those meant for people, in a systematic manner.
Situated in a silent corner of the Telco Colony, the Kennel comprises of well- planned single room for dogs, a training ground, a grooming shed, a kitchen and an operation theatre.
The Kennel is under the supervision of Pradeep Kumar Patnaik- Senior Dog Handler (retd. Army personnel) who has been serving the Kennel for about 20 years now and M Pasumpon- Kennel Incharge (retd. Army personnel) who has joined the Kennel six months back. Each dog has a history sheet to its name where details of its registration, breed, parents, date of birth, and their health routine is mentioned.
Patnaik went on to inform that marble epitaphs tell the story of the Tata Motors Kennel and its devoted soldiers. Each epitaph has their date of birth, date of death, their name, breed, gender engraved in those epitaph. The burial ceremony is an elaborate affair. The dog is wrapped in a white shroud and two dog handlers slowly lower the body into the grave. All staff present shovel the loose soil to fill up the grave, incense sticks are then lit and put up and a permanent grave stone is erected at site- immortalizing the contributions made by the loyal and faithful.
At present there are 37 graves and four are yet to be made which acknowledge the service of these brave hearts. Dog lovers visiting the city do not forget to take a trip to the Tata Motors Kennel section and they leave always impressed.