Skip to main content

Animals that Talk and Feel

Dzongkha or Tibetan word for animals is Semchen, which is roughly translated as one that possesses mind. This in turn implies that one has feelings and emotions, assuming one that has mind can ‘feel’ also. So, I am wondering … do animals have the feelings? I always ask this silly question. But if you look at the Dzongkha word for animals one more time, everything is clear. Of course animals can feel! Now if some scientists can prove that even plants have feelings; then surely one that has a mind has to feel. Although they may not enjoy the power of speech like the wise humans, they can at least feel.

It was in late 1990s I was in Phuentsholing for the first time. Everything was new to me … sheer number of people, cars and traffic…everything amused me. So, I accompanied my uncle to a market in Jaigaon. And as we rounded a corner, a horrible sight stuck me. Even now when I think about that, I get choked up. A group of vendors were selling meat. And right beside him a man was holding down a goat onto a big bowl. Blood was oozing out like waterfall. I didn’t understand what was happening. When my uncle busy at a shop, I went to the place for a closer and look better look. I could never forget the sight I saw that day! A butcher had already slain a goat. He was collecting blood in a big bowl.

And that was not it, near the scene, tied to a log is another goat waiting for his turn. Believe me I saw it with my own eyes; the goat was shivering in fright. How could it not feel the terror when right under his nose his friend was being slain? I saw human tears in the goat’s eyes. That scene of crying goat made an indelible impression on me; one that repeats in my nightmares and I cry.

At home, one of our favorite cows called Phurjan fell off a cliff and broke its leg. It could not move from the spot where it lay. We consulted a man who knew the art of fixing the dislocated limbs. With the help of a group of villagers, the man fixed the broken leg and padded the problem area with small pieces of wooden shingles and bounded it with ropes. It was such a terrible sight. Every time, Phurjan saw us, it used to look at us from her place and call us for help … bey bey. But how could we help her? That broke my heart and even after a month, Phurjan showed no sign of improvement.

One early morning, my mother took some fodder and some food. I accompanied her. The sick animal tried to move in sheer happiness, but when the food was laid before her, she showed no sign of appetite whatsoever. My mother cried and said something like this:
“It is all your karma. What can we do? We cannot help you. Don’t suffer like this for long. It is better to die and go to heaven. Phurjan …don’t worry about the calf … please leave…” I saw tears falling off the cow’s eyes and my mother cried like never before. I could not contain my emotions either.

Towards the evening, Phurjan left us and her dear lovely calf.
In loving memory of our dear Phurjan and the two goats that went to heaven right under my nose, I am a pure vegetarian today.

Comments

Post a Comment

So what do you think?

Popular Posts

The Vanishing Currency of a Bhutanese Village

Growing up in rural Bhutan, the richest people in the village often had very little cash. They were known as chukpo , 'the ones with cattle'. And no one asked how much money a person had in the bank. No one or only a countable few had bank accounts, anyway. Wealth was measured in fields, cattle, grains, and the ability to carry a family through the seasons. Cash existed, but it played only a small role. Most exchanges happened through barter. Rice for chillies, soya beans for Sichuan peppers, cheese for eggs. I still remember that a ball of homemade cheese was worth two fresh eggs. Nobody needed a calculator because people simply knew. The most remarkable part of the system was the exchange of labour. During sowing and planting seasons, families needed extra hands, yet labour was rarely paid in cash. If I spent three days helping on your farm, you spent three days helping on mine in return. No contract was needed to be signed. No money changed hands. Wealthier households so...
2 comments
Read more...

Community of Bhutanese Bloggers Conceived

And finally it happened. I must say that it was by far the most attended Bloggers Meet. In the past we had bloggers agree to attend and cancel at the very last minute. But on June 24, 2015 – almost 100% of bloggers, who confirmed came. I would like to thank everyone for keeping his/her words, especially those who had to come all the way from Wangdue or Paro. Thank you! 35 Bhutanese bloggers met in Thimphu. We were honored to have the presence of senior bloggers like Aue Yeshi Dorji and Dasho Sangay Khandu. The meeting assumed more significance because of their presence. Equally, we were happy to have many young bloggers in whom we see so much enthusiasm and potential. On top of many things that transpired during the Meet, one of the most significant outcomes was the unanimous decision reached to form a formal group of bloggers, a platform aimed at encouraging and inspiring more bloggers around the country. The members decided that we will call it Community of Bhutanese Blogger...
16 comments
Read more...

The Hair Theory

When I first came to Perth, I did not notice much grey in my hair. Maybe a strand here or there, but nothing to worry about. A year later, things changed. My hair started turning grey in a way I could not ignore. Some friends told me it was stress. Moving to a new country, starting over, learning to build a life from the ground up. Stress can show up in strange ways, they said. I nodded, but I also had my own theory. Back home, as children we were told that salt makes your hair turn white faster. If salt had that kind of power, then why not salty water? I convinced myself that the Perth water was the reason my hair was changing. It made sense to me. I am yet to discover any scientific experiment, if any. But for now, that's a topic for another blog post.  And then I noticed something else. The speed at which our hair fall. All of a sudden grey hair do not bother us anymore. The amount of hair I lost every week was shocking. Friends and acquaintances shared the same story. Almost ...
2 comments
Read more...