Rodent power

While going round the ‘Mogul Gardens’ in his modest house, Ganesh found some deep burrows in his courtyard. It did not take much time for him to figure out that it was the handiwork (mouth work?) of none other than Lord Ganesha’s vehicle.

Fearing that these deep holes may eventually become havens for dangerous reptiles, he got them filled up with concrete. A couple of days later he found to his chagrin that deeper burrows had been made adjacent to those that were sealed. He thought it best to get rid of the dark small creature once and for all. The apex court in him pronounced ex parte, death sentence on the criminal.

 He proceeded to execute it without any loss of time, as opposed to our government, which dilly- dallied for years to execute Afzal Guru. He tried to poison the little monster, but its survival instincts were so strong that it did not touch the bait even with a bargepole.

Considering that offence was the best form of defence, it now assumed aggressive postures. Leaving its underground palace, the rodent became belligerent and challenged him in the open. It entered the under belly of the car parked in the portico and made a feast of the wires of the electronic locking system, which made him in the process poorer by a couple of thousands.

 Fearing that worse things might happen, should it choose to make forays into the interiors of his house, where it could have for breakfast, lunch and dinner, a rich fare, consisting of expensive wares, books, documents, electronic gadgets etc., he decided to try other strategies to exterminate the tormentor. Rats are said to be very fond of cheese. He enticed the enemy now with cheese. He kept it in a rattrap. The poor unsuspecting fellow walked into it. Adopting a nonviolent approach, he released the prisoner a few yards away from his house.

 In hindsight he rued his decision. It seemed to have developed a symbiotic relationship with him, as it reentered the house after a couple of days and resumed its hostile activities with vengeance. He bemoaned not finishing it off when he had the chance. He decided now to put it to eternal sleep. Armed with a lathi, he chased it and wielded it with all his might to smash it to smithereens. He did smash, but not the head of the enemy, but some flowerpots and window glass panes. The panic stricken little creature had the last laugh, mocked at his ineptitude, ran helter-skelter, had a close brush with its attacker’s toe, before scurrying home into his neighbour’s place.

   The message of this small episode is clear. There is space and place for all the beings and they have as much right to live as man. Further, man is not an arbiter of the destiny of any being, howsoever lowly and insignificant it may be.