Goats & Gandhi

By Manuwant Choudhary

India's father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi loved his goat so much so he would leave even important meetings to tend to his goat !

He drank only goats milk.

On Bakrid as I read todays newspapers, goats are selling for Rs.10,000 to  Rs.100,000/- in Patna, in the metros this could be higher.

And their names are after famous Bollywood stars like Salman and Shahrukh and Katrina!

But its such a shame that a goat is today worth more than human life in India.

When someone gets killed in a road accident governments through the District Magistrate still give only Rs.10,000/- by way of compensation !

And the kin are so happy with that....

There is something so terribly wrong with the way India is being run and managed.

Our highways are not fenced...and accidents routine.

In Bihar I met this woman who had five children and I asked her why she had so many babies and she replied, "Three are taken away by the Gods (through diseases), one is for the road (accident) and ultimately only 1 will survive to look after me in my old age!"

Of course I don't blame the Mahatma for post-independent India but its just that when we celebrate him we often forget everything he really stood for.

The Mid Day carried an interesting report of a restaurant in South London called Ganapati where they serve a pure vegetarian `Gandhi Thaali' and guests eat sitting on the floor.

And the thali includes a glass of Goat milk !

Next visit to London I have to visit Ganapati restaurant...

I am still trying to find out the name of Gandhi's goat? (The goat even attended the Round Table Conference and met celebrities like Charlie Chaplin)