आम्ही हवे आहोत का? Are We Needed?

लेखिका मुंबईच्या परळ भागातील जनावरांच्या इस्पितळाला भेट देण्याचे ठरवतात. आत जाताना त्यांना भिंतीवर एक वाक्य दिसते - 'आम्हांला तुमची गरज आहे; तुम्हांला आम्ही हवे आहोत का?' हे वाक्य त्यांच्या मनाला भिडते.

The writer had long wished to see inside an animal hospital in Mumbai's Parel area, and one day the chance arrives. Near the office door, beneath a picture, she notices a moving line: 'We need you; do you need us?' This line feels to her like a plea made by mute animals to human compassion, and it unsettles her deeply.

भरत नावाचा मुलगा लेखिकांना मांजरांचा विभाग दाखवतो. प्रत्येक मांजराच्या खणावर त्याच्या मालकाचे नाव लिहिलेले असते. सगळी मांजरे लेखिकांचे लक्ष वेधून घेण्याचा प्रयत्न करतात, कारण त्यांना एकटे वाटत असते.

A bright boy named Bharat shows the writer the cats' section - each cat has its own clean cubicle, food and water bowls, and a health chart. As soon as the writer enters, all the cats eagerly rub their noses on the wire mesh, scratch at it, and meow loudly to draw her attention - as if each one were saying, 'I feel so alone here, come to me, stroke me.' Seeing the owners' surnames written on each cubicle, the writer realises these are house cats used to human affection.

लेखिका एका मांजरीच्या पाठीवर हात ठेवतात, तेव्हा ती दचकते. भरत सांगतो की ही मांजरी जन्मापासूनच आंधळी आहे, म्हणून अनोळखी हाताने ती घाबरते. पण नंतर ती लेखिकांना ओळखून विश्वासाने जवळ येते.

When the writer places her hand on a passing cat's back, the cat's whole body flinches; but then it settles down and begins to purr contentedly. Bharat explains that this cat has been blind since birth - her eyes look perfectly clear, but she cannot see, so an unfamiliar touch startles her. Born right there at the hospital, this cat is cared for so lovingly by Bharat and the others that she recognises everyone and moves about trustingly.

पुढे लेखिका कुत्र्यांच्या विभागात जातात, जिथे मोठी, सुंदर कुत्री आणि तिची न उघडलेल्या डोळ्यांची पिल्ले असतात. झेन्या नावाचा एक चिडका कुत्रा लेखिकांवर झेप घेण्याचा प्रयत्न करतो, पण भरत त्याला दटावून शांत करतो. दुसरा एक कुत्रा मात्र प्रेमाने नमस्कार करतो.

In the next section the writer sees a lovely dog with her still-blind, cotton-soft puppies. There she finds dogs of every kind - fat and thin, irritable and calm - one with a swelling behind its ear, another with a leg in a cast. An angry dog named Zenya tries to lunge at the writer, but Bharat scolds him quiet. Another dog, however, is gentle by nature and has a habit of folding its paws in a namaste-like greeting to everyone.

भरत सांगतो की इस्पितळात शेळ्या, मेंढ्या, ससे, माकडे असे अनेक प्राणी येतात. सगळे प्राणी पाहून लेखिका बाहेर पडतात, आणि दारावरचे 'आम्हांला तुमची गरज आहे; तुम्हांला आम्ही हवे आहोत का?' हे वाक्य त्यांच्या मनात पुन:पुन्हा येत राहते.

When the writer asks Bharat what other animals come to the hospital, he mentions goats, sheep, rabbits and even monkeys. Having seen the whole hospital, the writer steps outside feeling she has glimpsed an entirely different world. The line she read on entering - 'We need you; do you need us?' - keeps echoing in her mind again and again.