Donkey!

A terrified donkey was attached to a parasail and flown across the sky for 30 minutes in a sick publicity stunt over a beach on the Sea of Azov in Russia. The creature was pulled through the air by a speedboat over a crowded beach — near the Russian resort village of Golubitskaya in a warped bid to promote parasailing for tourists. A local entrepreneur was said to be trying to lure holidaymakers to his private beach club. The petrified donkey, which was braying in terror, was described as "half dead" when it was finally released. Onlookers said the animal was "faint and dizzy" as it tried to get to its feet following the ordeal (news excerpt).

The Russian “feat” was seen as a shameful act by the general public as well as animals-loving NGOs in the West but cruelty to animals especially donkeys is a daily affair in our Sub-Continent. Donkey-Cart owners/drivers can be seen beating donkeys with hunters and sticks fiercely so that this innocent and docile animal could pull and drag loads that even a horse cannot do. Donkey is the most submissive, down-to-earth (literally) and indefatigable animal. Ironically it is also the one who receives unabated brutality by its master (always men) but still remains quiet and faithful. I am sure everyone must have seen a donkey hanging in air while still tied to the cart when it fails to carry heavy load in busy streets of our cities.

Sometimes carts are driven by two parallel donkeys; first reason being the kindness of master who considers inappropriate for a donkey to pull up large loads all alone. This additional donkey is traditionally known as “Pakh”. You may be not aware of other interesting reason; it’s under training. Yes, young donkeys, not accustomed to pulling heavy carts in city streets, are attached parallel with the experienced and old donkeys to receive “on-job” training before getting independent.

Those who opened their eyes (like me) in poor and slum areas must have thrown stones at stray dogs and beaten donkeys with sticks. The painful barks of dogs and pathetic brays (Dheechoon Dheechoon…) of donkeys used to amuse us. At the same time, we would not let an opportunity go waste and enjoyed taking brief rides on donkeys which returned after unloading construction material. These donkeys can hardly be sighted in cities now. Small and medium trucks have replaced them. In order to recall your childhood, just visit a small town or suburb slums of big cities and you’ll come across all similar acts. Life has retained its original color even after decades! Another favorite pastime of our unemployed “Tapori” youth is to place a thief backward on donkey and take a procession in the streets with thief’s face blackened and his neck is garlanded with old shoes. Insulting a red-handed nabbed thief may be an outburst of the crowd but what crime does a donkey commits to go through this heinous ordeal is indigestible!

Riding a donkey is considered a shameful act in our society except poor who take donkey as an integral part of their lives for earning “Do Waqt Ki Roti”. Donkeys are rarely seen as running fast. They look rather lazy and tired. In the Liyari area of Karachi, “Donkey-Cart Race” holds regularly every year where one enjoys watching donkeys running surprisingly much faster than usual. The racing carts are not meant for carrying loads on ordinary days. Fitted with two bike wheels this small & smart racing cart carries the “Jockey” only. Good thing about this race is that donkeys are never hit by their respective Jockeys. Jockey carries a metal box filled with pebbles, and shakes the box rigorously signaling donkey to run faster.

We the human beings of Sub-Continent feel proud in making fun of donkey and have labeled it as a symbol of foolishness. We love to ridicule our employees, sub-ordinates, and maid servants, and while scolding kids a comparatively mild word “Khota” is used when they perform certain actions contrary to our expectations. Khota means young donkey and usually reflects our persistent love and care to the target while still being angry. I never heard a mother calling her daughter “Khotee” no matter how annoyed she had been!

We find plenty of folklore on donkey but stupidity of donkey is yet to be seen or proved. Donkeys are herbivores (eat plants), eat less food than a horse of similar size, and need a lower protein content in their feed. Average age of donkey is said to be 34 years whereas world’s oldest donkey was 62.

Can a donkey earn respect and escape wrath in our society? Perhaps, never!

Career!

Dadaji was enraged over the repeated poor academic results of Mani, his grandson. This year Mani came 21^st in his eighth grade exam. Dadaji decided to talk to Murad, his son, over the ever deteriorating results of Mani. In the meanwhile he went to Mani’s room to have a chat with the kid to ascertain the real cause of the problem. Mani was as usual busy playing games on computer.

I’m gonna make complaint to your Dad, said Dadaji.

About what Dadu? Without taking his eyes off the computer screen, Mani asked.

You are not putting up serious effort in your studies. It won’t put you anywhere; you would never succeed in life and may end up doing some clerical job, Dadaji warned.

But Dadu! I overheard Abbu saying to Ammi that this country doesn’t need good, honest and hardworking people anymore. Degrees, attractive jobs and lucrative positions are on sale. One just need a degree, no matter it is real or fake to climb the success ladder! Mani replied.

You speak too much. Don’t listen to this rubbish and let me discuss it to your father. I’m afraid he’ll let you become a completely spoilt child, Dadaji said in a stern tone.

Later in the evening Dadaji caught his son over the supper and straight away asked him whether he knew about the poor exam results of Mani!

Yes Papa, I know. He is doing fine. He is far from being regarded as an excellent or brilliant student but then why should he put extra effort when the sole purpose is to obtain a degree. Murad said.

With a shock in Dadaji’s eyes, he asked Murad with sarcasm in his tone; so, what profession my grandson would like to take up as a career on your recommendations?

In a country like ours, career in Politics would be ideal, followed by Law and Judiciary; even joining Journalism or an NGO would be equally beneficial. Murad smilingly replied.

And you think these careers can be had without having a good educational background, Dadaji said.

Exactly; Mani will just need a push to enter any of the above fields and there he becomes a successful and powerful person. Murad tries to convince Dadaji.

And how will he earn the degree without studying in a proper way? Dadaji insists.

Abbu! You know that half of our parliamentarians have fake degrees. Those who were caught and disqualified are being re-elected through by-elections. If Mani fails to obtain a fake degree due to prevailing crackdown, we would easily buy him another student to appear for his exams. Even if that doesn’t happen, we can obtain Mani’s grades according to our wishes from the Educational Board.

What do you aim for exactly by planning to get him into politics? Dadaji asked him again.

Abbu! let Mani complete his so called studies and earn a degree. We’ll send him to England for a few months for learning English and other managerial / oratory skills. I want him to contest elections from our ancestral town where we have a large following of our servants, farmers, friends etc. Once he reaches the Assembly, fame, respect, and power will follow him, while abundance of wealth is just a by-product, Murad smiles meaningfully.

Good; that means all my moral education to you regarding service to the poor, honesty, patriotism, etc. went into vain, Dadaji said dejectedly.

Abbu; please try to understand. Times have changed. You can’t survive in this country without having grip over some institutions or power quarters. It’s a need of hour to have at least one family member inducted in any of the above professions. Even people prefer to send their children into Army and Police.

Now please, don’t speak of these noble professions aimed at serving the nation on internal and external frontiers whereas you are taking them as sources of influence and vice motives, Dadaji commented in a complaining tone.

Abbu, you are still living in older times. Do you know which institution has a larger stake in the real estate business across the country? Didn’t you hear the joke that longstanding issue of Kashmir can be resolved instantly once our government decides to go for allotment of plots to our “Jawans” in held-Kashmir?