Of all relationships that humans develop with animals or birds, the closest is between them and dogs.
I know that from my fourteen-year-long association with my German Shepherd (Alsation). I named him Simba which in Swahili means lion. I got him as a puppy. He was with me till the end of his life. As a matter of fact, I had him ‘sign’ his death warrant when I realised that his 14th span was over and he was too old and sick to continue living.
I also saw a picture of dogs attacking human beings on the streets of Srinagar and eating them. What was the best thing to do with them? I had no doubt in my mind that it was time to put them to sleep for ever. I had to do that to my much-loved Simba too. I wrote to the vet who treated him, to give him an overdose of tonic he usually prescribed for him. He had a peaceful end. There was not an iota of ill-will between us.
Humans are known to live on dog meat in large parts of the world: It is regarded a delicacy in countries from Assam to Japan. I was served dog meat in Geisha houses on my farewell visits. And relished it till the Geisha put it to me in their most eloquent English. “You no like if I tell.” Thereafter I never asked the Geisha what it was that I liked, what was being served to me.
Incredible nation
I want to share with my readers, especially the younger generation, an interesting piece sent by Vijendra Gupta. “When Clement Attlee, the prime minister of England, introduced the Indian Independence Bill in 1947 and it was being debated in British Parliament, Sir Winston Churchill, the war time prime minister of England, had angrily remarked: ‘Power will go into the hands of rascals, rogues, and freebooters.
All Indian leaders will be of low calibre and men of straw. They will have sweet tongues and silly hearts. They will fight amongst themselves for power and India will be lost in political squabbles. Not a bottle of water or a loaf of bread shall escape taxation; only the air will be free and the blood of these hungry millions will be on the head of Attlee.”
We are indeed an incredible nation; we have worked very hard and we have indeed proved him right!
Waning life
When you opened your eyes you found you’re old!
Your dreams remained unfulfilled, thoughts still crude;
Wizened, your hands are quivering with cold!!
Not long before you were in a sprightly mood,
You thought of wading through the oceans blue,
Your dreams remained unfulfilled, thoughts still crude.
Of life and death you thought of finding clues!
To end the wars and find the peace, you mused!
You thought of wading through the oceans blue!
Now mind is creased: imagery is bruised;
Your pen is blunt and papers turned brittle!
To end the wars and find the peace, you mused!
You chummed and creamed the life, but too little!
When you opened your eyes you found you’re old!
Your pen is blunt and papers turned brittle!
Wizened, your hands are quivering with cold!
(Courtesy: M S Sathya Narayana - in Poets International)
Lofty dreams
The dreams of a man:
To be as handsome as his mother thinks,
To be as rich as his child believes,
To have as many women as his wife suspects.
Interest payment
General Yahya Khan was the most Rangile state-head in the history of Pakistan (ruling period 1969-1971). He had many girl friends like Noor Jehan, Akleem Akhtar, Tarana, etc. He was a habitual drinker and adulterer. Field Marshal Manek Shaw once said, “Yahya bought a motorcycle from me and did not pay Rs 500 at that time, but later paid me with half of his country.” (India snatched East Pakistan in the famous 1971 War).
Prostate
Banta walked into his doctor’s chamber and sat down in the waiting room. Another patient was sitting next to him. Stammering a little, he asked Banta:
“W wwhy dd do yyy you wwant to sss th the Doctor?” Banta replies, “Well, I have a prostate problem.”
“App prostate ppp problem, wwhat’s ttthat?”
“Well, if you must know, I pee like you talk.”
(Contributed by Anirban Sen, New Delhi)