MAYILPEELI - THE AGONY OF THE PEACOCK

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Hari-om

We have had discussions about cruelty to Cows and Elephants in this forum. Another creature that deserves mention is the Peacock, the vehicle and beloved bird of many Hindu Gods. Bhagavan Sree krishna has peacock feathers tucked in His headset. There are many folklores where peacock, the national bird of India is revered as symbol of good luck nd beauty.

The mayipeeli adorns Sreekrishna' s headset and when devotees go to buy pooja items from the flower shop,at Guruvayoor the vendor remindes the devotee to buy some peacock feathers as well because they are Bhagavan's favourite.

It was true at one time but now it has become sad tale of cruel business practice.

During the time Bhagavan used to play in Brindavan, there were thousnds of these birds roaming freely the forests and gardens. They shed ( process callled molting ) their feathers every year and they were in plentiful, Times changed and the birds have become scarce but the demnd for the feathers is high. Thus it has become a multi-million business.

Many of us are unaware how 90% of the mayilpeeli is collected.

They are obtained from Peacock breeding farms where the live birds are fed into an automatic de-feathering machine which seperates the feathers without damaging them and the carcass is sold as meat and also for producing Peacock oil , a much sought after illegal bone treatment medicine.

Then there are poachers who chase these birds and pluck out the tail feathers causing severe pain and suffering to the birds.

There are still others who trap them in metal cages and pull out the feathers one by one from the live birds.

In short only very few of the naturally shed ( called molting ) feathers reach the market.

By buying, using and offering these feathers we become part of this cruel and inhuman treatment of peacocks .

jai shree krishna !

Achuthan Nair