CRUELTY ON ANIMALS IN INDIAN WEDDINGS

 "It takes nothing away from a human to be kind to an animal"

Indian wedding horse

Recently you all might have attended a lot many weddings but the most disturbing thing that happens in almost every Indian weddings are those horses. Well, it's an old tradition which keeps on going that a bridegroom should come on a horse, it might look very royal to you but it's actually not good for that horse. There were also cases about mares being wounded after being hired for the wedding. It is very shame to know that how can someone let an animal getting hurt on a happy day.

To be very frank our country is actually very biased in terms of taking care of animals. Such as a cow in India is termed as the goddess but not buffalo or any other animal. According to me, an animal is an animal and they all deserve to be treated equally. So, what are the problems faced by horses at weddings? and what are their alternatives? let's see.

PROBLEMS FACED BY HORSES

First of all the horse handlers fit an iron chain into the mouth of the horse which constantly grates its teeth and making its gums bleed. These bits are used to control horses during weddings and rides despite being prohibited under Rule 8 of the prevention of Cruelty to Draught and Pack Animals Rule, 1965. Moreover, the lights surrounding the horse at weddings and even the crowd make the horse suffocating and irritating. There is a rule that bans the use of spiked bits but not on their production and sale. Veterinarians have also suggested horse handlers to use mouth cap as an alternative but hardly anyone follows.

Spiked bits used for horses

So, the wedding mostly ends late at night, and the horse has to walk back outside the city before doing the whole thing again. They are made to walk an average of 50 km back and forth to reach the wedding venue despite the weather or road conditions. Some of them are so exhausted and dehydrated that they end giving up on their way back home.

Some of the animals were also found bleeding and yet beaten by the handler in order to obey him. They are also kept in filthy conditions and made them tie with a short rope in the stable which makes them almost unable to move. So, they are made to stand for hours or even days at the same place and same position. Despite all these, they hardly receive any medical care for their wounds and with this, they are made to work again and again until they finally give up. Those heavy and colourful dresses you see being worn by the horses are actually made to hide their wounds which comes of hitting and whipping them.

And just to show off at their weddings, many people now even prefer to call camels and elephants as well. They also go through the same process, they are overworked, they don't get sufficient food and they are made to walk miles to reach the venue. Nowadays riding a horse can be even riskier as there is a fatal equine disease that spreads from animals to humans called Glanders. As said earlier these animals are mostly kept in filthy conditions and that too without any healthcare services so opting a horse in weddings can even be riskier.

CONCLUSION

Vintage car in Indian wedding

How inauspicious it is to start a marriage with the torture of an animal which has to starve and has to go through dehydration, fatigue and pain. After all this do you even think it is justified to use animals in weddings?. They are also living beings and they also have feelings, they also cry and they also need care and love. Usually, Indian weddings are luxurious so instead of spending money on animals why not book a vintage car or one can also use a palanquin or any other source other than riding a horse. There are many celebrities who have gone through horse-free weddings recently such as Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi, Sagarika Ghate and Zaheer Khan.

Cruelty on animals is actually cruelty on our traditions. Cruelty is never compatible with celebration. These traditions used to look good at those times, now times have changed, people have changed and now I think its time that our traditions should also be changed. 

References

https://theprint.in/india/if-you-ride-a-horse-to-your-wedding-in-delhi-you-could-catch-this-infectious-disease/242838/