Vol. XXXIII No. 2 Monsoon 2010 Journal of Beauty Without Cruelty - India An International Educational Charitable Trust for Animal Rights IN THIS ISSUE: Meat exports Elephant polo Value-based education Blood from and for vegetarians Taamasik, raajasik, and saatvik food Monsoon 2010 Beauty Without Cruelty Contents Editorial 1 Editorial: Meat feat 2 Elephant polo Meat feat 4 Lost values 6 Fact, not fancy: Concern for animals a spiritual quality 9 Blood from and for vegetarians only 10 FAQ 11 Around the world 12 Readers write, Vegan recipe, FYI: Taamasik, raajasik, and saatvik food BWC News & Views Cover photo courtesy: Krushna Ghule. Advertisement Bhansali & Co. Courtesy: Ashoke www.bhansali.biz ost countries’ actions are decided on by Mgroups of aggressive men and women who are in a position to get their way, so parts of a nation’s history and heritage are often found irrelevant to its current actions. Beauty Without Cruelty Donations, big or small, to are exempted In the 20th and 21st centuries we under section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. fi nd an example in the national conduct of Israel. Jews suffered Publisher: Diana Ratnagar, during World War II, but Chairperson, BWC - India BWC are neo-Nazis in their attitude Editor: Ashoke Dasgupta Graphic Designer: Kajal Harpude to Palestinians today. Anyone Printer: Mudra who has seen “Braveheart” Beauty Without Cruelty 383 Narayan Peth, Pune 411 030 knows that Scots suffered at is a way of life the hands of the English. That which causes no creature Compassionate Friend is printed on did not prevent them from of land, sea or air paper free of animal substances and joining their former oppressors terror, torture or death published every spring (February), in oppressing their colonies summer (May), monsoon (August) when the opportunity presented Beauty Without Cruelty India and winter (November). - itself. A third example of the 4 Prince of Wales Drive incongruity between a nation’s © Compassionate Friend Wanowrie, Pune 411040 past and present actions is Tel: +91 20 2686 1166 is the copyright of Beauty Without Cruelty - India. that of the U.S.A., which Fax: +91 20 2686 1420 Unauthorised reproduction in any did not consider the election E-mail: [email protected] manner, without written permission of a socialist government in Website: www.bwcindia.org from the publisher, is prohibited. France sound enough reason Beauty Without Cruelty Monsoon 2010 1 the Buddha, of the ideals embodied in Christianity; mother, through the village community, of self-government and democracy. Mother India is in many ways the mother of us all.” For all that, India is climbing the totem pole of global meat-exporting countries. Frozen meat and meat products exports crossed Rs 6,000 crores in 2009-10, up 82 percent in three years. Apparently this “progress” is due to better cattle health and Prabal Ghosh, secretary, Canadian Institute of Food Science & Technology, presents research and technology cooperation opportunities between Canada a rising international demand and India in the agri-food sector, at the CIFST's Annual General Meeting for beef. at Winnipeg April 30 2010. He said food processing was a priority sector in India as well as Canada; India has a huge pool of scientifi c Some experts opine that India and research personnel, and is the second-fastest-growing Asian market. He did not say that unfortunately such cooperation means suffering and may become one of the death for the animals involved in some industries, which is contrary to biggest frozen meat suppliers the heritage of India. Photo courtesy: A. Dasgupta. as almost 13 percent of the world’s cattle, 50 percent of for military intervention in these activities. The Rig Veda its buffaloes and 15 percent French affairs. Yet it invaded Samhita says, “One who of its goats live here. Meat and carpet-bombed Vietnam the partakes of human fl esh, the exports are currently around same decade in a (failed) bid to fl esh of a horse or of another 5,00,000 tonnes annually, keep it from going communist. animal, and deprives others of but the potential is greater. In Egypt, for example, the market Coming to Meat exports are currently for frozen meat used to be India, we fi nd around 5,00,000 tonnes annually, dominated by Brazil but, in ahinsa an the last few years, Indian meat important facet but the potential is greater. has replaced Brazilian. Vietnam, of our heritage Malaysia and other Southeast and culture since Vedic times. milk by slaughtering cows, O Asian nations are also potential Ahinsa, meaning to do no King, if such a fi end does global contenders. harm to living creatures and not desist by other means, to avoid violence, is an then you should not hesitate to The only things holding India ancient Indian religious tenet punish such a person.” back are stringent safety in Buddhism, Hinduism and norms, adequate cold storage Jainism. It is connected to The U.S. historian Will Durant and warehousing facilities — the idea that violence entails said: "India was the motherland and, perhaps, its once-glorious negative karmic consequences. of our race, and Sanskrit the cultural heritage. Though ritual sacrifi ce of mother of Europe's languages: animals and meat-eating are she was the mother of our condoned in the earliest Vedic philosophy; mother, through texts, other texts present the Arabs, of much of our counter-arguments against mathematics; mother, through E-mail: [email protected] 2 Monsoon 2010 Beauty Without Cruelty Elephant polo: by reducing them to pathetic to use attendance fees to shadows of their former regal bolster, and raise awareness conservation activity selves. Elephant polo is currently of, conservation efforts — or animal abuse? played principally in India, Sri but there is no evidence Lanka, Thailand and Nepal. that wild animals performing By Shubhobroto Ghosh frivolous tricks sensitises the The game is sought out in masses to conservation efforts. re animals meant to Rajasthan because foreign To make matters worse, several entertain rich folks as tourists patronise it. This sport of the elephants used in Jaipur’s A they guzzle champagne has been going on there for polo matches are without valid and caviar? That appears more than 30 years, climaxing certifi cates, or with forged to be the motive behind the on November 18 2006, when a certifi cates. The animals have organization of elephant polo high-profi le elephant polo match probably been illegally procured games. Though a form of was organised in Jaipur. from Assam and traded in elephant polo was fi rst played violation of the Wildlife Rajasthan is not a natural in India at the beginning of Protection Act 1972, which elephant-range state. Some of the 20th century, the modern lists elephants as a Schedule its captive elephants are the form of the game originated in I species to be accorded the descendants of those used by Meghauli, Nepal — reportedly highest level of protection in its royal families decades ago. after a drinking bout. Nepal’s the country. Temperatures are usually “Tiger Tops” resort remains the too high in Rajasthan to be Regardless of whether the headquarters of elephant polo’s conducive to elephant welfare. elephants used in polo matches merry men, and the site of the are treated “World Elephant Polo humanely or not, Championships.” The game is sought out in Rajasthan because foreign tourists patronise it. elephant experts have argued that Elephants are gregarious these animals are creatures that walk miles The animals have been reported being unnecessarily dragged every day in search of food and to suffer from tuberculosis, into a spectacle that should opportunities to socialise with opacity of the eyes, gaping not be organized at all. One their own kind in their natural wounds on the body, massive of the world’s leading wildlife habitat. The (illegal) process of foot problems and a host of rehabilitators, who has hand- capturing these sensitive, gentle other diseases that make their reared more than 75 baby creatures is a brutal and cruel lives miserable. They are also African elephants, describes this one, documented by several used to transport tourists at game as insensitive and cruel. videos and fi lms. Calves are Amber Fort in the scorching Another expert who has studied separated from their families sun, and are treated badly by African Elephants several and beaten mercilessly till their handlers. Handlers use decades in Amboseli National their spirits are broken and ankushes, or metal prods, to Park, Kenya, has also expressed they accede to their captors’ exert control and dominance her opposition to the sport. demands. Many animals, adult over them. and young, die in this process. Criticism has poured in from Starvation and the use of There is a consensus among luminaries in the animal rights, red-hot iron rods to tame the international elephant specialists animal welfare and conservation unfortunate creatures are but a and wildlife experts about fi elds. Virginia McKenna, a part of this induction. the pointlessness of making former president of Beauty these hapless creatures play Without Cruelty International Some sections of society deem a game intended for human and an eloquent elephant welfare it acceptable to use these benefi t. Some organisers of campaigner for at least 25 years, giants for their entertainment elephant polo matches seek has repeatedly appealed to the Beauty Without Cruelty Monsoon 2010 3 organisers of this sport to stop activity is not of signifi cant activists. Decades of research it in India and neighbouring welfare or conservation concern, by leading elephant experts countries. its opponents have stated that have established that elephants the game is inherently cruel and are capable of experiencing the Many Indian groups and counterproductive, especially same emotions as humans.