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Bengaluru Remembers ‘Pikachu’ The Stray, While BBMP Serves 5,000 More Like Him

Bengaluru is messy, loud and even exhausting at times. But it’s also a place where strangers will paint a wall for a street dog just because he mattered to them, and Pikachu's elegant mural is a testimony to this.

by Mahi Adlakha
Bengaluru Remembers ‘Pikachu’ The Stray, While BBMP Serves 5,000 More Like Him

Bengaluru has its share of usual headlines, ranging from traffic jams, language politics, to chaotic civic systems. But every once in a while, something quiet and unexpectedly touching breaks through that noise. This time, it’s a mural of a stray dog, Pikachu, whose story deserves to be heard. 

Bengaluru Gives Heartfelt Tribute To Pikachu

 

A little past Clarence Public School in JP Nagar’s Dollars Colony in Bengaluru will take you to this: a stone wall with a face etched into it. That’s Pikachu, no, not the Pokémon, but a stray dog who once roamed the area. It’s a mural put up by the people who loved him; surrounded by scribbled messages in different handwriting styles, expressing everything from grief to gratitude. This installation is the joint initiative of Indie Dogs Universe and The Great Indian Dog Stories in the city of Bengaluru. 

The story caught wider attention when a city resident, Nithin Kumar, casually posted about it on X. “Walk behind Clarence Public School and you’ll spot something special,” he wrote. And just like that, the tale of Pikachu spread across social media. It didn’t take long for the comments to start rolling in. Bengaluru, it seems, has a softer side that doesn’t always get its due. But since Pikachu’s mural made national news, the city is being looked beyond its traffic and hustle culture.

Also Read: Air India To Partially Resume International Flights From August 1; Bengaluru-London Route Faces Cuts

City Hosts Feeding Initiative For Dogs

Interestingly, Pikachu’s memorial appeared just as BBMP announced a massive feeding programme for street dogs across the city. According to the civic body, around 5,000 strays will now receive daily meals containing chicken rice, egg rice and vegetables, each portion planned to pack at least 750 calories. Not only this, 100+ new feeding stations with clean drinking water are also set to be installed.

Not everyone, of course, is fully convinced. “Don’t know if they really feed the stray dogs or some middle men and politicians loot tax money of hard working people?” wrote one skeptical commenter. Others leaned into broader solutions: “Nice gesture. Would be really helpful… but solving the root cause will be helpful.” According to some netizens, feeding is one thing and shelters and proper care are another.

But Pikachu’s mural is receiving only love and admiration in the digital world. A netizen on Instagram, and put it in words that really landed: “He didn’t have a voice. But he earned love, respect and even a mural. If some humans could live like that, it would be enough.”

Also Read: Bengaluru’s BMTC To Relaunch Bus Priority Lanes On ORR From Jan 2026; Here’s What This Means For Commuters

That’s the thing. Bengaluru is messy, loud and even exhausting at times; but it’s also a place where strangers will paint a wall for the street dog, Pikachu, just because he mattered to them. That might not make for front-page news alongside infrastructure reports and budget announcements but in the quiet way that really counts, it probably says more about the city than all of those things combined.

Cover Image Courtesy: nithinkumar/X

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First Published: July 18, 2025 12:22 PM