July 8, 2005

Animalia

It was way back in 1988 when I was mathematically 4 years old . I bought two white rabbits, Rs 300/- apiece. They were cute especially when they kept their long ears straight like horns. The biggest problem was faced by my mother because they used to shit anywhere in the house, but obviously it didn't bother me . I was busy making a living place for them.I took my TV's box and put some mud and plant leaves in it and the rabbit-house was ready. I was simply fascinated by those rabbits, they jumped higher than me. One morning I found their blooded dead bodies. Dogs ate them, I mourned and it was over. Behind my house there was a grazing field. I saw one black memna one day and it was love at first sight. The good thing about goats is that they shit out of the house. Well that memna was owned by some shepherd but he allowed the cuty memna to stay with me while others grazed every evening. With my new found fantasy, I used to collect vegetable remnants all day to feed him(or her, not sure). Weeks passed. One fine evening, the shepherd boy told me that memna is ill, two days later it died. Life went on.













My rabbits were pretty much like this, but not so fat.














A cute memna

Years passed, I was still one-digit old. I found a cow. Well there were many cows roaming around but they were rowdy but this one was retiring. So I befriended him/her and everyday at some fixed time it came to me. Animals are more punctual than we human beings. It felt great when that cow leaned infront of me so that I can touch its head. But then my father got transferred to a different place and(as an 8 year old boy) I could not even bid goodbye to that cow. Phew!!!!! I have always disliked dogs, simply because they dislike me. I've been haunted by dogs so many times, but luckily I escaped on each occasion. Once a dog even managed to grab my foot in its mouth, but I survived then also. Birds, I love them, Bird-watching, my hobby. There have been quite a few times when a bird came in my room and ruined its life by colliding with moving fan. I did whatever I could do, but life and death are beyond human control. When I was in class Xth(CBSE), there was a chapter in biology on birds. (Knowledge fact: Study of birds is known as ornithology.) There was an exercise for which I had to roam around and see all kinds of birds and make notes on them. During my summer vacation, I did that exercise with my colony friend Nitesh and I really enjoyed it.

Slowly and gradually as I grew old, I lost touch with animals. There are still animals around, just go out in Gandhinagar you'll find cows with really humungous horns which scares me badly. Obviously there are lots of dogs in college, but I hate them for reasons mentioned above. I change my way if I see a dog standing infront of me. I'm a nonvegetarian but that is another aspect, I still love animals. However if you feel bad about it, I'd clarify my stand if needed. Why is it that I've lost touch with animals? Partially because I'm busy with my daily routine and more because of lack of commitment.There is an Indroda Nature Park just 1 km away from DA-IICT and Deer Park may be 3 kms from DA-IICT. But none of my friends are willing to go there with me to enjoy the mystic flora and fauna. How many of them know about it?? It's not too late so if anyone is interested, leave a comment. Some of us may have attended the Animal Help Foundation seminars and rallies in Ahmedabad( because I see people wearing those T-shirts as their nightdress) but that does not bring us closer to animals. The most effortless way to interact with animals is to feel them around and just shower our love on them. Cat, Dogs(eww!),Squirrels(lots of cutiepies), various birds, chameleons, Peacock(its a privilege!!), monkeys etc. are some of the animals that we can see everyday in college. Ofcourse attending AHF seminars and rallies will help us, but natural interaction is more needed. Nature has been benevolent on us, I feel I should express my gratitude towards her.

21 comments:

That Girl said...

Okay, before I get caught up in writing a comment - STAY AWAY FROM ANIMALS! Don't get any new pets!! You're BAD for them!! IT'S JUST NOT IN YOUR STARS. So just stay away, okay? Expend your love of animals on admiring birds from afar, that's best for them!

Right.

Cute pics, those :)

Rabbits require a LOT of attention, it's really sad how people find them cute and take them in, only for the rabbits to end up dead soon. Sometimes it just happens unexpectedly, sometimes you CAN do something (That means you, Amod!). My cousin got a rabbit when he was a kid, but it died in two weeks despite the bestest care. :(


So. Just to refresh your mind:
STAY AWAY FROM TAKING IN ANIMALS AS PETS!

That Girl said...

Ohh, and what you wrote in Shikha's blog - I don't randomly capitalize words! Have you NEVER paid attention to what I've written?! See, like in the above sentence it was a word I would have stressed upon if I were speaking. And anyways, a few capitalized words never hurt anyone's eyes - ellipses do!

[Amod] said...

@ami-why I should not have pets?????????????Well I believe that feral animals should be left free, but some domesticated animals we can keep with us. My father warned me about dogs, but I was too young to make further calculations. I would advise you to visit some sanctuaries or nature parks. There're quite a few in delhi, or go to nearby places like Alwar, HP etc.
@ami again- I think you emphasize at wrong places, in comment #1 why did you EMPHASIZE words like lot, can,bad??See, saying a point louder doesn't make it more correct. All good orators speak with calmness,dignity and continuous flow. hehe! Your life, your decision, who am I?

Y.M. said...

hey even i am scared of dogs...oh about animals...i am scared of almost all the animals...dunno why?...though i do feel bad when i a see a wounded dog , a starving cow , those little birds...but i guess i cant do anything...the sole reason being that i am scared of them...so i try not to harm them sinc ei cant help them either...and hey but i do have my share of achievements....there is this bird nest outside my place..few days back ,one of the egg fell from the nest...so i called my dad and he picked the egg using newspaper..(since u r nt supposed to touch them)...and he put that back and then few months back, at my cousin's place.. the mother bird died , so we gave milk to those baby birds...oh and i came up with the superb idea of dipping cotton and then squeezing it above their mouth...and guess what , they got their feathers back in few dasy and then one day , they were gone...oh i know these are nt big achievements but they do give me a sense of joy!!

Y.M. said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Y.M. said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Bhavesh said...

A rule like one comment per person could help :D
and how many times do i have to tell you to take me to one of these nature parks that u keep on talkin about but u always end up making some excuse about studying for placements or ri. ofcourse, dont start havin ny ideas about large trees and secluded areas, i m not helpin u on dat front.

Bhavesh said...

since the rule does not exist as yet so let me comment on your post as well:
wow, u never told us abt these animals of urs or v cud hv got one as a budday gift? i still remember dat dog hu got ur foot(and what else) near G block, poor u... but i hav had worse experiences wid dogs, if dat helps (so wht if i havent).
even i like bird watchin and i really mean birds (ya, right).

Vivek Pabari said...

What abt man - tho social aniaml. U like him??

Well, I myself have not been an animal lover worth mentioning. Though, I and a few of my friends in our colony did keep a kitten for a week. That was fun. But taking care of the pet becomes boring after a time. And I too hate dogs. The world would have been a better place without them! But I love birds. And i too mean real birds!

I am always ready to visit those parks. let us go there on 21st. We will go to the Adalaj step well also. What say??

Jayant said...

hey cute pics! although that goat over there is not really a memna anymore, its a full grown goat!
and yes i think amiya is right! stay away from animals! why do they always die when ur around? its probably for the right that u stay away! Just kidding! :)
You were just too young to have rabbits as pets! They are really very fragile creatures!
and dont speak like that abt dogs! Just cos u share an unpleasant history with dogs doesn't mean that all dogs are bad! Although, I WOULD like to know, how u managed to get ur foot in a dog's mouth!:))

@ami: ellipses dont harm ur eyes either, eclipses do!! =))

P.S.: Check out my blog! I've got a new template! *fireworks*

Rahul said...

I adore rats :) Specially rats walk along the walls even in empty corridors. And also rats that cheat in Scrabble :p

[Amod] said...

@bhavesh,viki-OK lets talk with jindal n khusboo n finalize the nature park trip on 11th.
@diabolical angel- hey, atleast my post helped some1..ya surely go n visit nature parks!
@jayant- I dont have plans of keeping pets in near future but 10-15 yrs down the line, I'll have a small zoo in backyard of my house.
@rats- No rats cheat in scrabble, its all in your mind. But they do walk in the corners :) thats a whim, a characteristic!

Mirage said...

I'm really sorry abt the bad experiences u've had with pets... and esp dogs! Man not all of them are bad...mayb the ones tht mauled ur rabbit were savage...but dogs are basically really gentle animals and do not react unless provoked. Don't form a bad opinion abt them...try and pet a dog, you'll b surprised how much they'll like u back!

Bhavesh said...

someone sure loves dogs!

shaan said...

wow !! a true animal lover ..
i like the way ur fastidious on all accounts of life, man ...

Prasoon said...

if u've still not been thr - lez go! lez go! lez go..
Me game neday, netime.

mphaxise said...

me up for going to the parks...

and ya AHF tees were given when we visited their centre in ahmedabad...

Anonymous said...

Hi amod This is saba here. I came here through http://indibloggers.blogspot.com/ . I hope you don’t mind me ‘spamming ‘your comment box!!! Here is a little piece of information regarding an exciting new concept – blogging awards. You can visit my page for the curtain raiser .we require participation & inputs from all spheres of the blog world. Your participation would help us in providing variety as well as quality to our blogging awards – THE BLOGERRATTI . please visit my page and lend in your valuable support . http://levelhead.rediffblogs.com/

Anand said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anand said...

Best blog i have read till now.
Well i can go to park or zoo if does not take much of our time.
Your blog reminded me of my first night-out.10 years back one day I brought a small cute puppy from some place near my house.i was planning to take it to my house but my land lord(old lady) scolded me for this.It was a winter and evening time.So I made a small home out side my house for the puppy and brought him some cloths as I was feeling cold and thought same for puppy.I remained with the puppy till night.
I was fearing that the puppy might die due to cold.So i kept thinking all the night about the puppy.I was checking clock after every 30 mins but night was no shorter than usual.At 5:30 am I was infront of the puppy and he was alive.I played with him for 2-3 hours.At 8 or 9 am land lady saw me playing with that puppy and complained to my parrents.Since the complain was from my land lady so my parrent did not suppoted me and I was ordered to put that puppy from where i have taken it.Story does not end here but it was just an interval.With my tears , in second half I took the puppy and put him at the place i had taken him.I started returning home and the puppy started following me.IT happned for 2-3 times.At last I went far away from my house and put the puppy there and ran away cring all the path.Story does not end here also.That day onwords for 2-3 months , whenever I saw small puppy on road, i start thinking that he may be the same one.I start carring wheather he is not coming under some vehicle etc.I think i just can't forget this experience.

sona said...

hi amod

u hv a nice space here.....:)
i luv animals and birds..but never had them as pets..i luv the dogs most...yeah street dogs do scare ame a lot..but heck...i wud luv to keep one...:)
the post shows..u reallly luv animals...