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By:

Minal Sancheti

2 May 2026 at 12:26:53 pm

Funeral for animals

Mumbai: On the occasion of National Animal Rights Day, a funeral was held for all the voiceless creatures that humans have killed for selfish reasons. The act was a campaign and was a brainchild of Animal Climate and Health in collaboration with Our Planet Theirs Too. The purpose was to spread awareness about animal cruelty. The campaign took place at Carter Road Amphitheatre and so a crowd of both young and old supported the cause. Speaking about animal cruelty, recently the internet was...

Funeral for animals

Mumbai: On the occasion of National Animal Rights Day, a funeral was held for all the voiceless creatures that humans have killed for selfish reasons. The act was a campaign and was a brainchild of Animal Climate and Health in collaboration with Our Planet Theirs Too. The purpose was to spread awareness about animal cruelty. The campaign took place at Carter Road Amphitheatre and so a crowd of both young and old supported the cause. Speaking about animal cruelty, recently the internet was flooded with a viral video of a group of men at Mira Road taking a piglet to a locality where goats were brought for religious sacrifice. Aparjita Ashish, the founder and director of Animal Climate and Health said, “It is an act of cruelty to kill animals for religious sacrifice but to protest against this they were harassing a baby pig. The poor pig was screaming for his life. So how’s that right? If you want to protest, protest peacefully.” Ashish also comments on the Apex Judiciary’s decision of euthanising terminally ill dogs, “If the dog has a serious illness like rabies and is in a lot of pain, with a doctor’s permission and in a peaceful manner, they should be euthanised. The apex court also spoke about the ABC or animal birth control which if done with correct procedures, can help bring down issues related to the stray dogs. Many times the process is wrong so the animals become subject to cruelty.” She even added that the strays should not be displaced as that will leave them confused. This is also an act of ill treatment. The occasion saw a large number of gatherers. According to the campaigners, being vegan is not just for protecting animals but also for the climate. Ashish explained, “If you see the name of our NGO, it is Animal Climate and Health. So we also talk about the impact of consuming animal products on the environment.” She gives an example of how methane gas is produced because of the dairy animals and how the food and resources to breed animals are so much that it affects the environment. The supporters who participated in the campaign said they also noticed many health benefits of going vegan. Anil Nagpal, a senior citizen and volunteer with the organisation said, “For many years I was going through ill health. I tried every treatment but nothing really helped much. But then someone convinced me to go vegan and since that time my health has improved drastically. After this many people in my circles who used to eat animal products have given up.” When asked what his protein sources are, he said, “I eat lentils and legumes. Vegetables also contain protein.” Ashish claimed that humans have an ego that makes them think they are above animals.

The Script of the Soul: Why Handwriting Still Matters in a Digital Age

Even as the digital age diminishes penmanship, handwriting remains a symphony of manual dexterity, emotional depth, and cognitive harmony, where the hand, the heart, and the mind create together.

In an era defined by the rapid-fire cadence of keyboards and the constant glow of digital screens, the intimate habit of writing by hand is quietly receding into the shadows of daily life. Yet, handwriting is far more than a mere record of words; it is a profound, creative, psychological, and spiritual odyssey that connects the mind, the heart, and the human touch in a way no digital medium ever can.


True penmanship represents the sacred trinity of the three ‘H’s: Hand, Heart, and Head. It is a symphony where manual dexterity, emotional depth, and cognitive focus converge in perfect harmony to sculpt, express, and reveal the very essence of human personality.


Penmanship is, in essence, a form of Sadhana—a disciplined and mindful practice that nurtures both inner calm and outer expression. It is a source of joy, a conduit for tranquillity, and a gentle bridge to self-dialogue and self-awareness. This “Aksar-Sadhana” (The Discipline of Letters) must be cultivated with conscious intent, patience, and respect for the written form.


Driven by this conviction, a dedicated movement to preserve and promote handwriting has flourished for the past 27 years, inspiring individuals across age groups and backgrounds. At its core lies a simple yet profound plea: everyone must write by hand, not occasionally, but regularly and with purpose. It was this powerful vision that pioneered the tradition of celebrating January 23rd as World Handwriting Day, reminding society of the timeless value of pen and paper in an increasingly digital world.


Beyond Aesthetics

From the vibrant corridors of schools and colleges to the sombre confines of prisons, the journey of teaching penmanship has been deeply revelatory and profoundly transformative. It has shown how a simple act like writing can become a tool for personal reform and inner discipline. Guided by the traditional wisdom—“Brahmane Balbodh Akshar, Ghadisuni Karave Sundar” (One must strive to craft letters as clear and beautiful as the Balbodh script)—this service continues tirelessly, rooted in both cultural heritage and educational purpose.


Improving one’s handwriting does not merely enhance visual beauty or aesthetic appeal; it instills cognitive discipline, nurtures patience, sharpens concentration, and steadily bolsters self-confidence.


The Mirror of the Mind

The nexus between handwriting and personality remains a vital and fascinating field of study, offering deep insights into the human psyche. A definitive example of this was the initiative conducted across Maharashtra’s prisons during the tenure of the then Director General of Police (Prisons), Meera Borwankar. While collecting and analysing the scripts of inmates involved in serious offences such as theft and homicide, the visceral connection between their inner state of mind and their written strokes became strikingly evident. This research not only highlighted the psychological depth embedded in handwriting but also reinforced a powerful and enduring maxim: “Shape a Beautiful Script to Shape a Beautiful Mind.”


A Call to Action

Today, leveraging the reach of social media, millions of calligraphy and handwriting enthusiasts have been brought together. On the occasion of World Handwriting Day, a simple yet transformative mission has been launched: "Write at least ten lines by hand every day." The need of the hour is to return to the paper and the pen.


Let us pledge today to embrace the act of writing—to empower an initiative that is silent, positive, and deeply transformative.


(The writer is a resident of Jalgaon. Views personal.)

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