Narratives about India often intertwine with echoes from an Occidental gaze, casting indigenous traditions into a realm of savagery, particularly when related with human-animal relations. Amidst these nuanced narratives emerges the enchanting festival of 'Vanara sadhya', or the Onam for monkeys. In this animal version of the festival Onam in Kerala, monkeys are welcomed with an Onam feast at the revered Shri Dharma Sastha temple in Sasthamkotta, Kollam district. This celebration transcends barriers of species, offering a picturesque tableau of equality and joyous camaraderie between humans and animals. Amidst the aromatic allure of aviyal, the sweetness of payasam, and the crispness of banana chips, monkeys revel in their special day, alongside devotees and onlookers. Rooted in the reverence for Lord Hanuman, this festival embodies the timeless essence of pagan worship, inviting all beings to partake in the jubilant symphony of life's celebrations, where harmony and inclusivity stays alive.

In nature, there's an implicit understanding: animals that are brightly coloured and easily noticeable are often more toxic. Blister Beetles exemplify aposematism, a natural strategy to caution predators about the toxicity of their prey. Blister Beetles, with their vibrant hues and distinct patterns like dots or stripes, visually alert potential predators to their defensive capabilities, indicating that they are either unappetizing or poisonous.

Cantharidin, a toxic substance found in blister beetles of the Coleoptera order and Meloidae family, functions as a vesicant, inducing blistering of the skin, which has been utilized as a remedy for warts and molluscum. With a rich history in folk and traditional medicine, it has been employed in Indian and Chinese traditional medicine for over 2000 years. In the 1950s, it gained popularity in the United States and other Western countries as a treatment for warts.

The Karabba ritual in Bukkapatna village, Sira taluka, Tumkur district, Karnataka, celebrates the deep-rooted agricultural traditions and the bond between farmers, their animals, and nature. This unique event honours cows and agrarian tools, pivotal in farming communities, through various rituals aiming for a prosperous season and the well-being of cattle and crops. The ritual starts with placing three vertical stones at the village entrance, symbolising purification and setting the stage for subsequent ceremonies. Cows are decorated with vibrant paints and sometimes garlands and gold jewellery, signifying divine protection and respect for these vital animals.

 Community involvement is a cornerstone of Karabba, transcending agricultural celebrations to foster unity and social bonds. A communal lunch, often featuring payasam, highlights the importance of shared joy and gratitude. Karabba exemplifies the symbiosis with nature, promoting sustainability and reverence for the natural world, preserving India's agricultural heritage through folklore.

As I do not have direct access to the Karabba ritual, I took images from the Pongal ritual, where cow decoration is similar to the Karabba ritual. I gathered the information from an interview with one of my neighbours, Raghu, where he talked about the Karabba rituals among villagers of Karnataka.

Cock fighting is a recreational game that established animal-human relationship in a way. The earliest recorded version of the word “cockfighting” is in a book titled The Commendation of Cocks and Cock Fighting (1607) by George Wilson. In Tamilnadu, it is called Seval Sandai and surprisingly literary evidence of the game dates back to the time of Tholkappiam, oldest Tamil grammar book. During the Sangam Age, there was the habit of planting Nadukal in the memory of deceased people. Nadukal had the biographical information of the deceased. It was found that these Nadukal also mentioned roosters' death. Seval Sandai is of two types - Kathi Kaal Sandai and Vethu Kaal Sandai. In the former type, a knife is tied to the rooster's leg while it is not tied in the latter. Cock Fighting can also be spotted in cultures of Indonesia, China and other countries.