WHOSE DOGS ARE THEY ANYWAY ?
Playing golf on a nice summer morning seemed a reward in itself when the rising sun had just started to cast its orange glow on the dry rocky mountains yonder, the verdant stretches of the Kharghar Valley Golf Course began to receive shadows of clouds floating in randomness signifying early onset of monsoon, the first recital of the baani (hymns) was heard from the Gurudwara in close vicinity and the gentle balmy breeze caressed my forehead with a motherly touch - one thought one was divinely blessed. But then the writ of the ever unpredictable, all powerful Time had a different plan for me. Seven stray dogs came to attack me, unprovoked, unchecked. Not one, not two but a formidable pack of seven. It was the most petrifying, unnerving and traumatizing experience of my life. In fact it continued to haunt me and shake me up in cold sweat for many nights. I started to fear sleep for I would see the open jaw of a ferocious alpha male just about six inches from my throat, the moment I closed my eyes. Facetiously speaking, one could handle a single lion but certainly not seven canines. I saw a grand conspiracy at work, heaven downwards !? But then at that moment I managed to save myself with some bit of courage and clumsiness and in doing so got two fractures on my wrist as I fell backwards and put my hand down for a controlled landing of my 85 kg body.
Now the whole discourse on philosophy starts. Law of Karma or Flaw of Karma, wrong-time-at-the-wrong-place theory, ability of dogs to recognize the evil in human beings, dogs' dislike for golf and golfers, the cause and effect principle; the list has been growing with more people I meet ! But the irony is that dog lovers are not only unapologetic but have been on an pre-emptive move, perhaps expecting negative publicity. Its a strange world - humans can be in danger from animals but it is sacrilege to do anything against them; such is the new philosophy of the animal activists - a bit irrational I thought. Accepted that Dog is Man's best friend but can we not categorise dogs here ? For, all dogs are not well behaved to put it mildly. Some people have an acquired sense of love for dogs because their children have learnt in public schools to love animals. One of our ministers in the Government is a great activist of animals, generally with a warped sense of love for animals. The limited point here is that we need to rationalise the disproportionate love for stray dogs. I suppose its fashionable to talk about kindness towards animals. Such people rarely adopt a stray dog but have no empathy to see them languishing on the dirty streets of Indian Metros.Be that as it may, there is no good enough argument to put forth when it comes to safeguarding humans against predators infiltrating into human civilisation. The counter argument one invariably gets is that it is the human civilisation which is constantly expanding into their habitat. Can we respect both the arguments and find a durable solution ? (April 21 2016)
Now the whole discourse on philosophy starts. Law of Karma or Flaw of Karma, wrong-time-at-the-wrong-place theory, ability of dogs to recognize the evil in human beings, dogs' dislike for golf and golfers, the cause and effect principle; the list has been growing with more people I meet ! But the irony is that dog lovers are not only unapologetic but have been on an pre-emptive move, perhaps expecting negative publicity. Its a strange world - humans can be in danger from animals but it is sacrilege to do anything against them; such is the new philosophy of the animal activists - a bit irrational I thought. Accepted that Dog is Man's best friend but can we not categorise dogs here ? For, all dogs are not well behaved to put it mildly. Some people have an acquired sense of love for dogs because their children have learnt in public schools to love animals. One of our ministers in the Government is a great activist of animals, generally with a warped sense of love for animals. The limited point here is that we need to rationalise the disproportionate love for stray dogs. I suppose its fashionable to talk about kindness towards animals. Such people rarely adopt a stray dog but have no empathy to see them languishing on the dirty streets of Indian Metros.Be that as it may, there is no good enough argument to put forth when it comes to safeguarding humans against predators infiltrating into human civilisation. The counter argument one invariably gets is that it is the human civilisation which is constantly expanding into their habitat. Can we respect both the arguments and find a durable solution ? (April 21 2016)
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