I do not know what made me jump out of my bed that day and went straight up to bath and decided to have dayout, around 8 o clock I left home and paved my way to NH2 , Having only 100 rupees with me I thought taking a lift would be better option than a bus and fortunately I came across a humble truck driver, Betweennd Mathura and Agra on National highway 2 near "Sachdeva Institute of Technology and Management" a alleyway through Farah town took me to a village "shahzadpur pauri".
After walking for almost a kilometers straight I could feel my tummy roar for orange juice and omelette, but I was doing something more important and delicious than that, I was on a unknown road around strangers eyes gazing at me like if I'm a terrorist & suddenly I was offered a sugarcane by one of the boys of this village.
Local people call that place as "HAATHI VIHAAR", foreigners and domestic tourist often misunderstand it as a zoo or park, but it is actually a animal conservation center operated and run by an international NGO wildlfesos.org which basically works for conservation of animals which are victim of trafficking, rides and circus.
This place provides a safe and natural habitat to the animals as per their requirement, proper diet and exercise, proper place to play and rest, proper medical checkup, proper walks and outings as per daily schedule and a lots of things that makes them forget their past.
http://wildlifesos.org/elephant-conservation-and-care-center/
All the elephant in this place are rescued from different places of India like Mumbai, Banglore, Varanasi and Goa.
My guide for the place (available at the place) told me about the practice of "Fazaan" which means to keep a elephant hungry for a month and then beat him badly on his trunk and head so hard and bad that he gets threaten and gives away his soul to his master and become a slave to him, there after they can use this elephant as a earning engine.
The best things about that center was that they have kept a very beautiful record of each and every elephant's life story including their favorite activity, meal and name of best friends.
This was the first time I felt so much connected with such a giant animal, and I realized that just for some bucks few people torture a soul so bad that it gives away all strings and self confidence and become a slave forever and then also hardly ever gets something in return.
I have not disclosed stories of all the elephants to push you readers to visit this place and explore by your own.
I then donated 50 rupees (saved 50 for going back home) as a helping hand and yes I also gave my banana to one elephant.
After coming out of center and then crossing over that village I could manage to walk 200 steps and get myself seated to eat my lunch in a canteen by the side of Sachdeva Institute.
After the lunch way back home I ended up thanking myself for giving me another random and unforgettable experience.
-Rohantherover
