Biker duo Madhuritu and Arunav spreading love for stray animals and birds
Biker duo Madhuritu and Arunav
The sight of an injured stray dog's pleading eyes or the cruelty of boys kicking barn-born puppies reveals the regular abuse animals endure. From urban poisoning to rural cockfights, humans continue to inflict harm, despite legal consequences. The challenge persists: when will society grasp that animal cruelty, punishable by law, is neither pleasurable nor fun?
Such acts of cruelty did sway the hearts of a biker duo, who instead of spending their time entertaining themselves, started using their biking expeditions for a cause. They wanted to protect animals from human cruelty and to create mass awareness of how and why even the slightest act of cruelty that we take up for mere fun should be stopped. Madhuritu and Arunav are relentlessly trying to contribute to the welfare of these helpless animals facing adversity. “We have travelled all over India and while exploring our diverse nation, we have witnessed the same old story almost in every state of the country - brutality against animals and birds. The acts that we witnessed, made us restless, we wanted to do something for these helpless creatures,” said Madhuritu with a lot of passion. Her voice clearly reflected the pain she feels for these helpless creatures that are victims at the hands of cruel people.
The milestone in their journey was when they hitchhiked from Kolkata to Kedarnath. This initiative was taken as a protest against the ‘pony and porter services’ of Kedarnath, that help pilgrims reach the temple. The Kedarnath temple is not directly accessible by road and can only be reached by a 16-kilometer uphill trek from Gaurikund. Helicopter services although available, are too expensive which is why most cannot afford them and hence opt for ponies and mules. Sadly, the mute beings have to endure the harsh climate and the steep slopes carrying heavy men and women on their backs non-stop. While hitchhiking from Kolkata, the duo stopped in Delhi due to the flood that hit Kedarnath at that time. “Even though we could not reach Kedarnath, we continued the campaign on the streets of Delhi in local markets, metro stations and shopping malls like Sarojini Nagar Market, Delhi Haat, Malviya Nagar, Chandni Chowk, Lajpat Nagar and Paharganj areas. While conducting this awareness drive, we found some supporters, but faced some really bad experiences as well,” Madhuritu added.
The duo, passionate animal lovers since childhood, run a travel agency and have witnessed numerous instances of animal cruelty during their extensive travels. Motivated by their families to advocate for voiceless creatures, they aim to address the plight of helpless animals facing hunger and neglect. Their vision involves creating a global community that unites caregivers across regions to collectively care for and support stray animals, preventing them from suffering and perishing due to human indifference.
“After every trip we made, we decided to make our own surroundings a better place for such animals and then carry on this campaign in other states.” Choosing to kickstart their initiative through crowdfunding, their primary goal is not merely to collect funds but to spread awareness on a larger scale. “We have met many people around India and talked to them. There are basically two types of people- lovers and haters. Even those who love the strays do not opt for a proper way. For example, those who feed the strays put the food anywhere on the road, littering the public property at large. To feed the strays, one must put the food on a paper or in a bowl and dispose of it after the animals finish eating.”
Madhuritu and Arunav, fervent animal enthusiasts, are deeply disturbed by the cruel treatment inflicted upon strays by heartless individuals. These harmful haters go to extremes, from physical abuse to the unbearable torture of innocent animals, often justifying it by labeling them as future threats. Madhuritu and Arunav are driven by the belief that animals, like humans, have rights that must be respected. The duo aspires to bridge the disconnect between animals and humans, serving as a conduit for understanding. Their ultimate goal is to stop such acts of cruelty by enlightening these harmful haters about the importance of recognizing and respecting the rights of animals. To realize this vision, they harbor a longstanding wish—to establish a Caring Squad. This community of like-minded individuals shares concerns and emotions for animal welfare, aiming to spread love and warmth to every creature deserving of compassion on our planet.
A few days back they had received a call from Birbhum asking them to rescue an injured animal. But due to the distance, they couldn't reach out. This is why the need for such a community is felt. It would work like a network, where a piece of news received at a central point can be spread across. More importantly, if the brutality reduces, the need to rescue will go down too. Madhuritu and Arunav want to arrange a campaign and a fundraiser. They would firstly vaccinate stray dogs, and treat the injured and diseased ones. As of now, they make presentations to bring awareness among students, youths and civic groups. Many are approaching them on social media after watching their reels.
“Our vision is to break the stereotype against strays. We look forward to eliminating the suffering of animals. We should live and let live. Our mission is not to create a particular shelter, but to promote self-volunteers who can give shelter to at least one stray at a time. Even if we change one person, it will make a huge difference,” Madhuritu signed off. In their dreams probably the hapless strays are thanking this duo earnestly.
