Our dog ties

An unexpected historical footnote in Philippine-Indian ties came to the fore at the recent webinar hosted by the Philippine Embassy, as a Filipino historian traced the introduction of a dog breed from Manila into Mughal-era India.

Filipino historian and author of the bestseller Dogs in Philippine History Ian Christopher Alfonso keynoted the inaugural session of the series Sailing Through Time: The Philippines and India Histo-Cultural, which honors the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

In Alfonso’s account, “ferocious” and “handsome” dogs from Manila found their way in March 1706 via Madras (present-day Chennai) to the ownership of Daud Khan, a prominent historical figure and commander during the Mughal Empire reign over India.

The breed had been first sighted by the Mughal commander’s men aboard a Spanish trade ship docked at Madras (present-day Chennai).

Taking a fascination for their qualities, Daud Khan engaged ship captain Ignacio Manoel in negotiations leading to the former’s acquisition of two of the dogs. 

While a footnote in the context of evolving larger trade and cultural linkages between the Philippines and India, then Spanish and British possessions, respectively, the story provides a glimpse into the multifaceted character of historical ties between the two.