Before plunging,probing,dissecting and criticising the post I would like the readers to forget temporarily the cliched quotes and ideas on freedom.Its not about the freedom of human beings only rather about animals also.Few days before I went to the Nandankanan Zoological Gardens,Bhubaneswar.I was near the enclosure of lions I heard a co visitor complaining about the lost freedom of lions.Some others agreed with him.But a question prodded me for too long.Are the animals not happy with the amenities provided to them? An animal is definitely entitled to freedom.Each one of us is.Its our birth right.But if our freedom is exchanged in for some good expenses which are beneficial for us only would we hold grudge against the institution? In my opinion NEVER.Let's visualise a certain thing.We are in a room well maintained and well ventilated.Yet we have no freedom to go outside some barriers.Provided barriers ensure our safety only.Crossing the barrier means danger to our life only.We are provided with sumptuous meals as per our requirements.A doctor is available round the clock.Would anyone of us break free from the room and its set barriers and claim freedom jumping over the barriers' boundaries.That would be real folly if anyone does the same.Like wise no one can claim that we are free.We are bound by rules of authorities and institutions.We are shackled by set barriers of community/society.
Similarly zoo is an institution with its own set of rules.The animals are not only kept in the zoo for amusement or recreation.A heap amount of money are spent for them to cater to their needs.The animals behind the enclosures feel safe from predators,unfavourable atmospheric conditions,loss of habitat,fear of poachers,loss of herd/group and even mates and finally the unavailability of food.Perhaps Zoos have all been painted with a darker shade by people.While children enjoy watching the royal bengal tiger yawning and the Siamese crocodile basking in the sun dipping its snout in the water adults let out snorts of disgust with the idea of keeping animals in captive.Are we not being a bit too judgemental about the freedom in the zoo that the animals enjoy? I asked a few of my friends to write an essay on zoo,and I was shocked that all of them have mentioned it as a place which deprives animals of their own habitat and ''freedom''.A place of research,breeding and amusement is what I define a zoo as.If we think a little out of box we can visualise ourselves in a zoo too.Are we not in an enclosure of materialistic comforts,friends and partners,lavish living and fulfilled desires? Yes we are.Who is free in this world? None.When our own planet Earth is not free from the rule of rotating and revolving around its axis and around the sun in its specified orbit then how can we crib about our and the animals' lost freedom.
Freedom is not breaking away from rules,regulations and shackles that bind us.Freedom is never physical its always psychological.We break rules claiming it as breaking free then...we meet with accidents and lose our dear lives.What is that freedom which endangers our very existence.I prefer living in a safe enclosure than roaming in freedom and getting attacked by predator or poacher.If being a human with a thinking mind I choose safety over freedom then why an animal will not opt for safety.At the end of the day we all dearly care for our precious lives.Be it animals or we...There is no difference.
P.S.:The opinion expressed are personal views of the writer.Constructive criticism for the post is allowed and welcomed.
Creative Courtesy:
Yann Martel's 'Life of Pi"
Similarly zoo is an institution with its own set of rules.The animals are not only kept in the zoo for amusement or recreation.A heap amount of money are spent for them to cater to their needs.The animals behind the enclosures feel safe from predators,unfavourable atmospheric conditions,loss of habitat,fear of poachers,loss of herd/group and even mates and finally the unavailability of food.Perhaps Zoos have all been painted with a darker shade by people.While children enjoy watching the royal bengal tiger yawning and the Siamese crocodile basking in the sun dipping its snout in the water adults let out snorts of disgust with the idea of keeping animals in captive.Are we not being a bit too judgemental about the freedom in the zoo that the animals enjoy? I asked a few of my friends to write an essay on zoo,and I was shocked that all of them have mentioned it as a place which deprives animals of their own habitat and ''freedom''.A place of research,breeding and amusement is what I define a zoo as.If we think a little out of box we can visualise ourselves in a zoo too.Are we not in an enclosure of materialistic comforts,friends and partners,lavish living and fulfilled desires? Yes we are.Who is free in this world? None.When our own planet Earth is not free from the rule of rotating and revolving around its axis and around the sun in its specified orbit then how can we crib about our and the animals' lost freedom.
Freedom is not breaking away from rules,regulations and shackles that bind us.Freedom is never physical its always psychological.We break rules claiming it as breaking free then...we meet with accidents and lose our dear lives.What is that freedom which endangers our very existence.I prefer living in a safe enclosure than roaming in freedom and getting attacked by predator or poacher.If being a human with a thinking mind I choose safety over freedom then why an animal will not opt for safety.At the end of the day we all dearly care for our precious lives.Be it animals or we...There is no difference.
P.S.:The opinion expressed are personal views of the writer.Constructive criticism for the post is allowed and welcomed.
Creative Courtesy:
Yann Martel's 'Life of Pi"
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