Monday, January 15, 2007

Caged lionToday Swathi Buddhi Raju took us to the rescue center for lions and tigers. It is one of five rescue facilities for lions and tigers in India and houses 61 lions and 12 tigers (or maybe the 61 includes the 12 tigers, not sure). Most of the animals have been confiscated from circuses, where they were abused and tortured in the name of “training.” Most bear electrocution scars on their foreheads and other parts of their bodies.

Tiger in his enclosureI don’t think I have ever been that close to a lion or tiger; their magnificence is heart-stopping. (Later in the trip, when I first laid eyes on the Taj Mahal—finally seeing it on my 4^th trip to India—I was similarly awestruck, but I’d have to say more so seeing a lion up close.)

Tiger with scars on foreheadThe lions and tigers are inside part of the day and outside part of the day. While, on one hand, it was sad that they have no where as much space to roam as they would in the wild, those of us touring took some consolation in the fact that these animals are now safe from harm.

Later that day, we went to the temple at Simhachalam. Dedicated to Vishnu in his avatar of Varaha and Narasimha (boar and lion), it has elaborate carvings of Hindu deities and animals. But, according to the VSPCA, the temple has served as middleman in the slaughter of hundreds of calves (cow slaughter is illegal in Andhra Pradesh). Devotees give male calves (which
Temple carvingsare useless to them as they don’t produce milk) to the temple, which the temple authorities turn around and sell to butchers. VSPCA has saved many of these young animals. Read more about VSPCA’s work to help the Simhachalam calves here.

Dog outside templeOn the steps leading down from the temple to the parking lot, there are lots of little shops selling souveniers to pilgrims and tourists. I snapped the photo to the left of a dog perusing the merchandise.