Laxmi’s Death and Rituals

(1 Oct ’06)

            Last week, an elephant named Laxmi died of severe spine, hip and leg injuries. She’d been hit by a water tanker on one of the major roads in Mumbai. Although everyone’s now gunning for the tank driver, there are a handful who are questioning why an elephant was on Mumbai’s roads at all. If the millions of Ganapati devotees are unaffected by this poor pachyderm’s death, I’d say they’re all slaves of a clay statue. Why aren’t they out protesting the plight of voiceless but intelligent fellow creatures? Like monkeys are considered to be forms of Hanuman, the elephant represents the Ganapati. When lifeless stones of a temple get dislodged, riots happen. How come there hasn’t been an outburst of protest when this gentle giant died? Know why? We’re basically a ‘himsic’, violent people, and killing, whether of people in a bomb blast or an animal elsewhere, doesn’t bother us. We get on with our lives because those who died or who are grieving are paying for past karmas. Never mind what happens now in the present. This suffering isn’t important for it isn’t happening to us. We block our minds and reason by clanging bells, lighting incense and chanting mantras we don’t understand, and think that makes us religious. What I’m saying is about the Hindus, but this is equally true of the Christians and the Muslims. As a nation, we’re callous, we’re only bothered when we’re affected. Others’ suffering doesn’t worry us. I do wonder how small NGOs like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals survives. I’m not a member, I don’t even know anyone working for it, but I salute its workers.

            All religions stress on compassion, but I haven’t seen much of that in this spiritually advanced nation. Ever noticed skinny stray dogs being kicked, malnourished beggars digging through garbage for a morsel, abandoned cows (bless their holy souls) chewing themselves to a painful death with plastic bags, snakes being tortured on certain festive days…the list is endless.

            I was brought up to have a healthy questioning attitude towards rituals, and not follow any and everything blindly. Whether it’s visiting Potta or Hardwar, I will ask ‘Why??’

Recently, because of an imminent inter-religion wedding in my family, I read up on vedic marriage customs. Remarkably, the main ritual of the couple making promises to each other with the fire as witness, has no ‘god’ in it. No mention of Krishna, Ram, Durga. The pujas, the prayers, are separate from the main marriage ceremony. This is a tradition that has lasted over thousands of years, from Manipur to Kanyakumari to Kashmir. I found that amazing. The other thing, a knowledgeable colleague told me, was that it wasn’t a must to have a smoky fire fed with ghee. Fire means even a spark, an agarbatti, would do. Similarly, the act of sprinkling water around sweets, was meant to keep the ants away. If there are no insects, no need for it. If anyone knows where I can read on the rationale behind traditions/customs, please inform me.

            But I digress. Back to our lack cruelty to Nature. One suggestion: give saplings as prasad. Give them at shraddhs, give them at haldi-kunkus, give them as back presents at children’s birthday parties. Those in power, if they’re animal lovers, must make it a point to advertise that fact. Wealthy animal-lovers with money, please build animal hospitals. Build them in the name of religion, your ancestors, whatever. Earn some merit points for your soul thus. God will be pleased.