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!
Loved reading this piece:) Took me back to my childhood. We were kids not more than 4-5 yrs old visiting our granny's place in Delhi suburbs. So as kids we'd hang out in the gali with other kids playing, running about. A donkey strayed into our gali- and the older kids started pelting it with stones. In my feeble attempt to shield the donkey I started shooing it so tat it would not get hurt- in my foolish attempt to get the donkey away from the older kids- I tugged at its tail to push it away from harms way and I got royally kicked in my guts when his hind leg made contact with my ribs!:( I went flying many feet away from it- howling loudly.
ReplyDeleteSince then as much I am respectful of the work it carries on itself regardless, I stay a safe distance from a donkey for the fear of being kicked in the guts again:)
Aijaz, I completely relate to the plight of the donkey in the sub-continent culture. Too often I would see overdurdened carts and the master beating or kicking the donkeys testicles to get it to move. On one occasion, I saw a donkey suspended with its feet off the ground because the dhobi failed to balance the load appropriately. I intevened, and the verbal suggection turned rough. I forced off some of the rear load from the cart and that led to a free for all fight. I was young and impatient, the donkey was relieved, and the real ass got a few kicks in his butt afterall.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it with asses.
..Jamsheed
Very good piece. I come from a part of the world where donkeys are a bit of curiousa and has no real place in culture. they seem so patient and it hurts that such a useful, hardworking animal should suffer so much.
ReplyDeleteNice...
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