A South Indian family threw a baby shower for its pet dog at Kurakanahalli near Hosur (outside Bengaluru) on the Karnataka-TamilNadu border on February 6.

More than 50 people attended the ceremony. Women from the household were dressed up and sat on a mat singing folk/devotional songs in Tamil and Telugu. The reason for the celebration: ‘Seemanta’ (baby shower) of the household’s expecting pet daughter.

A little later, the women lit camphor lamps and performed ‘aarti’ before the centre of attraction — pet dog, Jumme. Dressed in new clothes, vermilion pasted on her forehead, jasmine garland around her neck, Jumme basked in glory even as a bowl full of her favourite biscuits and mutton chops was placed before her. This was the scene at agriculturist Paramesh's house. He and his family had invited about 50 neighbours, friends, well-wishers and relatives to take part in Jumme’s baby shower, followed by lunch.

Jumme has been with us for nearly three years and it is her first pregnancy. It is our responsibility to arrange for her baby shower. We had dogs in the past but they were male. This is first female dog we’ve nursed, and we made sure all the rituals were followed,” Paramesh told his visitors.