He came in my life…as a innocent infant along with his twin sister…they had lost their mother to a Poacher…
That was a regular feature for us…as Daddy was a Forest Officer…and was posted in the Bhandara District wildlife crime department those days.
My Fathers Jeep …whenever came back form patrolling…was often occupied with such unusual beautiful people from the jungle world.…Either for some medical help in the town…or…to be transferred to the Museum or some Zoo.
These two little ones were too small to be taken to the zoo…as they needed extra care till they could stand on their feet..in literal sense. They were just one day old.
My Family hardly had any craving for pets…as we were used to see animals free in the wild....and Snakes, monkeys…deer and squirrels were part of our residential surroundings. How ever..after looking at the twins... Mom accepted them in the family with lot of love and affection. We fed them cows milk in diluted form with a feeding bottle…and we had such a fantastic experience doing that.
Sona and Soni…as we named the twins were very independent individuals..had to be..Because of their wild genes and ancestral legacy. They grew up very soon to leave the milk bottle and only feast on to greens.
They would take on to their running practice on their own around the compound ..amazing…nobody told them that was their way of life galloping was instinctive. The roses and the guavas were their favorite dishes…and we used the rose flowers to bring them back if in case... they ran out of the compound towards the road.
I remember Soni the Doe had already developed a very very feminine attitude….She was strong..Would walk with a lot of grace and not mingle too much with us or our school friends..Who used to visit us ..a bit too often to watch these two celebrities at our house
One they stopped having milk…we knew..it was their time to part with us and go back to their original home…The jungle..but Human emotions…and and attachment towards them…postponed the Farewell affair.
However the emotional string was only extended from our side I guess…because there were many instances when we tried to treat them like normal pets and tried to cuddle them or bathe them or put a belt around their neck…they would never allow us.
Once my brother tied a red ribbon around their necks…so that we can have a picture with them in the evening…these creatures freed themselves by eating each others ribbons in an hours time…the ribbon was in their stomach…and next morning…the ribbons were out with the seeds of berries while ruminating.
Sona and Soni would follow a very strict schedule for the day….they would eat only in the early morning hours and late evenings…The myth that deer are grazers was broken when we found out that they feed only on tender shoots and leaves of trees. And fruits like berries and guavas were their favorites. They also loved to lick the blocks of salt which Dad got for them. They would also run for an hour or two in the whole day ..and would sharpen their little horns against the compound wall. Sometimes Sona would come and bend down on his front legs and try to give us a push with his head…asking us to play a fight with him. My brother would just love to play Fights with him.
The day I came home from school after loosing a Badminton match was the day... when Sona explained to me ...something…with his simple gesture…I was sitting with my racket in the compound bench with a rather sad expression of loosing…and this guy comes and looks at me with a mischievous look. He pushed me gently with his head and went back a little…again to look in my eyes…I was amazed as he had never come up to me by himself before that…he again went back and bent his knees with his horns striking on my knees….as if was telling me….”come on get up….and fight…that’s how it is….you just cant surrender…fight back…push hard MY DEAR”
The day came when we had to part with him..holding him in an open jeep…we went with Dad in the Navegaon Wildlife Sanctuary…searching for a heard of Chital so that Sona can be with his kind…As soon as the jeep stopped and we opened the rear exit of the jeep…He just vanished into the trees …never to come back…we halted there for a long time insisting ..that he will surely show up somewhere…but he was not to be seen any where..or may be..we could not spot him in the heard of so many look alike.
Wrapped in innocence… He came into being
never allowed us to Tie any emotional String
Grew up with Grace..to be free one day..
To mix with nature like an unbaked clay.
He taught us to be Simple, active and Strong..
He was so Witty, Mischief full of Charm
His eyes said many things…
Pride, elegance, love and faith to nurture…
There was no voice..no noise..just a thoughtful gesture.
Years have passed on..but I still remember….
The Fawns Eyes..which said…
Just fight…never surrender.
