An individual is the smallest unit of a society. Therefore survival of all individuals marks the success of a society. Divinity was around preCreation. But the takeover of the interpretation of Divinity by human beings happened much, much later. It is therefore prudent that we, as a species learn from the animal kingdom. Their art of survival is older and better than ours, however superior we may feel to them. Our methods of annihilation of them are more efficient. Therefore we have a misplaced superiority complex that we are the best species going around on Earth. Our brief history however shows a dismal survival rate.
As an example, take the case of elephants. They are extremely sociable beings. They are led by the oldest matriarch. In human society, when the eldest female leads, certain things happen. Generally speaking, the Matriarch is concerned about the wellbeing of the littlest child in the family. Right from prasava raksha or caring for the newlymade mother rests with them. Bathing in ved vellum or medically infused hot water, applying oil, eating the white jelly-like substance on top of coconut trees mixed with molasses to make up for the depleted Calcium during birth were all “grandmother’s tales” which have stood the test of time.
It is quite common to see ladies in their Eighties who are mothers to three or four kids without the slightest trace of back pain, which seems to be a given with modern births. After natal care of the mother, comes that of the newborn kid. It is quite common to see a herd of elephants stand guard over a female giving birth. They form a loose circle, keeping the precious and naturally vulnerable mother and child as the centre. Any potential threat to them will be met by an army of tusks and trunks made to be defensive. In our land, ancient tradition mandated that for a period of eleven days ( give or take a few ), not only the mother and child but their family too is under isolation.
Temples were the centres of social life in the past. People from a family where a recent birth or death took place were not allowed to go to temples. This was not mumbo jumbo as many now claim. Isolation at birth meant that the mother and child and those physically in touch with them were not exposed to any unseen infections. (At death it meant that the potential medical reason why a person died would also not be spread to society ). The next step was the nurturing of the baby. The whole herd chipped in together. Much like grandmothers and great grandmothers thoroughly enjoying kids playing around both the baby elephants and the human babies thrived under the watchful eyes of these elders.
Baby elephants have no control over their trunks. The trunk with its super sensitive tip, functions much like a human hand. The doting elephant mother ensures that the baby is fed with her milk. ( In fact in Ayurveda there is a medicine made out of the dung of a baby elephant who drinks only its mother’s milk. This is called Kandi Venna in Malayalam). The matriarchs of the family gave the most natural and healthiest of food to the mother and child to ensure their wellbeing.
While swimming across large water bodies it was a fascinating sight to see baby elephants snugly snuggle between two elephants, literally riding on their backs! There are Twenty Seven stars or Nakshathrams in ancient Indian astrology. Therefore on the twentyeighth day of birth, the child’s nakshathram comes round again. Many people lie a thread which has been blessed by a pooja on the child. This is for protection. The same protective instinct is there in the elephant herd mothers. They are more likely to be aggressive in the presence of their children. While tracking elephants, it is always better to stay clear of herds with babies. The elephant herd keeps its females together. The males are often in competition for the best females to mate.
There is a substance called “Musth” which is literally Testosterone which leaks out of the temples of a male elephant upon maturity. The need to breed is strongest then. In fact many of the accidents with regard to domesticated elephants is literally sexual frustration and the cruel way elephant owners make their charges ( pun unintended ) work indiscriminately during this sensitive time. These male elephants are banished from the herd. Deprived of a protective society around it, it becomes a rogue elephant or the dreaded singleton, roaming the forests and venting it’s anger on the flora and any unfortunate animal coming it’s way. In traditional matrilineal setups the wealth of the family went to girls. The boys were given an education and sent out to earn their living.
Elephants mourned their dead. This writer witnessed the heart rending sight of a whole herd surrounding a dead baby in the Periyar game sanctuary. The feelings were exactly that of its human counterpart. Human beings have their own (often) elaborate rituals associated with death. A large part of it is to console the living. A brief look at how these very varied groups have coped will give us a glimpse of a successful society and what merely vaunts to be one. The elephant matriarch is a leader because she knows the best water sources, feeding places and in short what works best for the survival of the tribe. No one challenges her leadership for anything’s sake. This is pure leadership based on ability. This automatically takes care of the welfare of the entire herd.
Take a look at human soceity today. We are experts at poisoning our natural resources, especially the air we breathe, the water bodies that dot the Earth, our delicate and robust eco system. On the basis of artificially created divisions, we maim, kill, isolate and torture other human beings with impunity. Yet we pat ourselves on our back and consider ourselves to be a superior species. Until we learn from the animal kingdom, become more “beastly” we are doomed to repeat the ghastly and avoidable mistakes of a so-called civilized society.
Thiruvathira Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi was born the XII Princess of the erstwhile royal family of Travancore.
