Diwali has come and gone. Hindus celebrated the victory of good over evil to commemorate the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after vanquishing the evil king Ravana, and Jains celebrated the attainment of moksha by Lord Mahavira, Jainism’s 24th and last Tiranthakara.
Now Christmas is upon us and many goodwill messages will start circulating highlighting Jesus Christ’s message of love and kindness to all. My message is similar but a little different. However, please don’t get me wrong. I am all for peace on earth and goodwill for all, and merry making at the time of the festive season. But does Christmas invariably mean the slaughter of all those turkeys?
I do not know how the tradition of roast turkey on the plate for Christmas dinner has started and what its significance is. I do know that the Jain religion is totally opposed to cruelty to animals of any kind. Be they turkeys, cows or the tiniest, microscopic insects.
Killing them to eat is completely out of the question. We have all those roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts and the bread and brandy puddings, not to forget the booze and the plonk. Why couldn’t we do without turkeys? I do not wish to be branded a spoil sport at a time when people are looking forward to Christmas parties and are generally in jovial moods.
Nor do I wish to impinge on others’ beliefs. But if I can persuade a few people not to eat turkeys this Christmas, I would have made a small contribution in spreading Lord Mahavira’s message of kindness and “ahimsa” – non violence to the tiniest living beings.
Dinesh Sheth
Newbury Park, Ilford
