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Should we not take a pause and reflect on what and how much himsa we are perpetuating and inflicting by this tradition? Is this necessary and are there alternatives and other possible materials? I think this tradition needs a serious and very urgent look and I hope it happens soon. One feedback: As an environmentalist and forest officer during my tenure at Jaipur I was entrusted to check and certify that the peacock feathers for export are naturally shed and not pulled out forcibly which is very common. Peacocks shed feathers not all at one time but they do it one or more at a time during a certain period. As such all feathers if looking alike in appearance, fresh and shining are certainly those pulled out forcibly. There is also some dirty mark at the tip to ascertain that it has been pulled out and not shed naturally and thus those lots were rejected and penalty imposed. I do not see any reason why only peacock feathers alone should be used by Digambar saints whereas Shwetamber saints are using cotton ones. S.M. Jain, 7-B, Talwandi, Commerce College Main Road, Kota-24005, Rajasthan. Now you decide: is this behavior consistent with ahimsa?
SHOULD I SERVE OR PAY FOR NON-VEG FOOD OR MEALS FOR A CLOSE FRIEND? This is a very practical issue that I am sure many of us are faced with some times. Most of us have friends (Indians and non-Indians) who are non-veg. Many times we have occasion to go out to eat or go on vacation together. In this scenario, the following situations can arise. Some of these I have faced myself. o We all decide to eat together and the waitress brings one
bill/invoice. Here we all decide to split equally among all the participants but I realize that my portion of the veg food did not cost as much as the other non-veg friends. If I pay my equal share, I am subsidizing their non-veg food. This bothers me. So, what should I do here?
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An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide
