Recently, I read in a paper that a community in Bihar pays special respects to donkeys in their village to honor it for having served their ancestors. I wonder if the community has a special day in memory of their family roots. How elaborate would that be? Such a unique tribe of people will surely not send their elders to Senior homes, I hope and believe.

This annual celebration at Bhilwara, a town in Rajasthan, is still conducted the day after Diwali. Men remember having conducted this fair for more than 70 years. Donkeys have long been used as a Beast of Burden. With two wheelers now plying like donkeys on wheels for all errands, the animal population has dwindled. Yet, loyal to the service rendered by them to the community, in the past, a vibrant festival is being held here. 

The donkeys are painted in bright colors and paraded. They are cloaked in bright clothes, garlanded and taken to the marketplace. The temple priest worships the animal, and feeds it jaggery cubes. Some are yoked to carts for children to enjoy a ride. This ritual is mostly observed by the Potter community (Prajapathi). This riot of colors with background score of conversations and braying contests must have been an audio video spectacle. 

To crown it all is a beauty contest, in which the best dressed or best-behaved donkey, I am not sure, wins. The event culminates in a donkey race, which is flagged off by, (What an irony), by lighting crackers near its feet; the startled beast runs for his life and of course the timid one, who is scared the most, wins! 

A study in the State of Madhya Pradesh declares that there are only 3,052 animals in the State, compared to 49,289 in 1997 - a 94% decline. We have to agree that the donkey population is dwindling.

In my native place Tiruchi, donkeys used to be the main object of interest in the seventies when I used to visit the place for holidays. We did not get to see so many of them in Chennai. Our Washerman used to come with his donkey to collect dirty clothes. He will tie them in a neat bundle and place them on the donkey's back. The donkey will march with him in a majestic stride. After collection in the area the load will be so high that I used to feel sorry for it. But the donkey will not show anger or irritation, not even a frown on his face. The same proud march alongside his master. Real Martyr.