These are volatile times. In these volatile times, even animals are not spared from controversy. We wish animals could speak-up and tell us in no uncertain-terms whether a particular action constitutes cruelty to them or not. Unfortunately, these voiceless creatures have no direct way of communicating with us, much like a newborn child. It is only through non-verbal communication, through inarticulate sounds and expression, can we gauge what they are going through. That animals also have feelings is a given. Every dog-owner swears by it. However, the expression of these feelings is muted and left to the interpretation of the human.
That's where we step in. Amongst us, there are those who are over-sensitive and fine-tuned whereas others who are laid-back and largely indifferent. The topic has now become complicated. There are grey areas in both places- animals cannot convey emotion clearly to us and even amongst us, the yardstick to interpret the animal-emotion varies from person to person.
For some, an animal is in pain when it is forced to plough the field or draw a cart, or stay chained for hours on end at the temple premises; it is cruel to cage them in zoos or have them perform at the circus. For others, it is fine to consume the animal for food, for after all, life feeds upon life. In the present context, we have one more added element- using animals for sport. We want animals to race with us and perform fight-sequences for our pleasure, for continuity of culture and pride. Hopefully, animals are sporting enough and participate with a smile. We don't know. We only hope they do!
Given this background and the long relationship animals and humans have had, it is tough to take a definitive stance. Any decision to brand certain human-acts as "cruelty to animals" will be acceptable to some and stoutly contested as hypocritical by the others. In short, no agreement is possible on this topic. To each his own.....we can only have a personal viewpoint on this topic, no more!
But the topic is relevant and cannot be skipped. We flip the pages of history and go back in time....may be a thousand years or more, to a dim and distant past. King Manuneeti Chola ruled over Tiruvarur. The king was an epitome of justice. He had a bell hung in the town-square. Anyone in distress could ring the bell and get instant redress for their complaint. The bell remained unused. No one had a complaint- such was the egalitarian law of the land.
One day, the prince took his chariot out. As he rode the chariot with abandon, a calf came under the wheels of the chariot. The mother-cow was grief stricken and angry. She reached the town-square and rung the bell. The king gave the cow a patient hearing. He empathized with the cow's feelings, to the extent that he felt that the only just punishment would be for him to face the same predicament. He asked his minister to ride his chariot over the prince. The minister refused. King Manuneeti Chola then made the supreme sacrifice- he took his chariot out and rode it right over his son's neck.
Gandhiji wrote freedom isn't attained till we have wiped every tear from every eye. Animals also have tears. Are their tears any less precious than the tears in my daughter's eyes? Who will wipe their tears?
Each one of us has to grapple with this question. We may not have complete answers, but these stories have set the bar high.....so high..that we gaze at it in amazement.
Voiceless animals.....back then...had a voice- a voice which was heard and heard clearly! To this day, this story stands as a silent sentinel, arrested in stone, at the Temple of Tiruvarur. We salute King Manuneeti Chola.
P.S:
The story is from the Tamil text "Periya Puranam" written by Sekkizhar.
It is the definitive book where the life story of all the 63 Naayanmaar Saints (devotees of Lord Shiva) is documented. At the beginning of the text, while introducing the subject matter, the author presents the sanctity of the town of Tiruvarur. That's when he talks about this Chola king and this story.
But he does not end the story as abruptly as I did! He says that pleased with the king's sense of justice, Lord Shiva appeared and brought back to life.... both the calf and the prince!
That's where we step in. Amongst us, there are those who are over-sensitive and fine-tuned whereas others who are laid-back and largely indifferent. The topic has now become complicated. There are grey areas in both places- animals cannot convey emotion clearly to us and even amongst us, the yardstick to interpret the animal-emotion varies from person to person.
For some, an animal is in pain when it is forced to plough the field or draw a cart, or stay chained for hours on end at the temple premises; it is cruel to cage them in zoos or have them perform at the circus. For others, it is fine to consume the animal for food, for after all, life feeds upon life. In the present context, we have one more added element- using animals for sport. We want animals to race with us and perform fight-sequences for our pleasure, for continuity of culture and pride. Hopefully, animals are sporting enough and participate with a smile. We don't know. We only hope they do!
Given this background and the long relationship animals and humans have had, it is tough to take a definitive stance. Any decision to brand certain human-acts as "cruelty to animals" will be acceptable to some and stoutly contested as hypocritical by the others. In short, no agreement is possible on this topic. To each his own.....we can only have a personal viewpoint on this topic, no more!
But the topic is relevant and cannot be skipped. We flip the pages of history and go back in time....may be a thousand years or more, to a dim and distant past. King Manuneeti Chola ruled over Tiruvarur. The king was an epitome of justice. He had a bell hung in the town-square. Anyone in distress could ring the bell and get instant redress for their complaint. The bell remained unused. No one had a complaint- such was the egalitarian law of the land.
One day, the prince took his chariot out. As he rode the chariot with abandon, a calf came under the wheels of the chariot. The mother-cow was grief stricken and angry. She reached the town-square and rung the bell. The king gave the cow a patient hearing. He empathized with the cow's feelings, to the extent that he felt that the only just punishment would be for him to face the same predicament. He asked his minister to ride his chariot over the prince. The minister refused. King Manuneeti Chola then made the supreme sacrifice- he took his chariot out and rode it right over his son's neck.
Gandhiji wrote freedom isn't attained till we have wiped every tear from every eye. Animals also have tears. Are their tears any less precious than the tears in my daughter's eyes? Who will wipe their tears?
Each one of us has to grapple with this question. We may not have complete answers, but these stories have set the bar high.....so high..that we gaze at it in amazement.
Voiceless animals.....back then...had a voice- a voice which was heard and heard clearly! To this day, this story stands as a silent sentinel, arrested in stone, at the Temple of Tiruvarur. We salute King Manuneeti Chola.
P.S:
The story is from the Tamil text "Periya Puranam" written by Sekkizhar.
It is the definitive book where the life story of all the 63 Naayanmaar Saints (devotees of Lord Shiva) is documented. At the beginning of the text, while introducing the subject matter, the author presents the sanctity of the town of Tiruvarur. That's when he talks about this Chola king and this story.
But he does not end the story as abruptly as I did! He says that pleased with the king's sense of justice, Lord Shiva appeared and brought back to life.... both the calf and the prince!
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