The Vegan Journey of Jayalaxmi Rai | Vegan Beings India #066

                                                            

I was a hardcore non-vegetarian. My brother Annand and a friend Melina had gone vegan and they were nagging me to watch Earthlings for a while. After stalling for some time, I finally relented and watched Earthlings. I was stunned as I watched it. I could not complete the documentary in one sitting. I was sobbing away as I watched it. I am not someone who would be moved to tears easily. But watching animals being abused like this was horrific, especially when I considered myself an animal lover. 

I gave up eating meat for a while but desensitised myself after a while and got back to consuming meat occasionally. After a few months, I had moved back to Dubai and attended a yoga & meditation course called SSY, where one of the interpreters spoke about the horrors in the dairy industry. They also spoke about the meat industry and one fast-food chain in particular which I used to love. He said that they were now producing headless and featherless chickens.

That was the turning point for me. I decided to give up meat that instant. I was also introduced to the concept of consuming raw foods at this institute. I had given up all dairy too except for cheese which took me a year to give up. I later learned that there was a reason I took so long to give up cheese (dairy) primarily because it has addictive properties. So on the 14th of September 2014, I finally went vegan and never looked back. It’s been more than seven years and as any vegan will tell you: I wish I was born Vegan. It is one of the best decisions of my life.

I have learned an incredible lot in the past 5 years and keep learning so much more each day. These have been valuable and fantastic years. I loved every moment of it! I feel super energetic after going vegan and keep getting better by the day. I also think if you incorporate a lot of raw foods and whole foods into your diet you will always be in your element. Walking for miles or being on my feet all day is not a task at all. So if you want to thrive rather than just survive try this lifestyle for yourself and see.

My journey after going vegan has been nothing short of fantastic. I researched for 3 years about all things vegan and experimented a lot. During this time I also decided to open a small little restaurant in Pune. I dedicated it to my grandmother and named it Granny's Bowl in 2016.

Granny's Bowl had an ever-changing menu with different days dedicated to different cuisines. I had got a lot of support from my own family, friends, and especially my lovely aunt Nirmala Shetty. It was financially a roller coaster. I had no experience at that time running a restaurant with no idea how much of an investment it would take. I also was crazy enough to cook, clean & run operations all on my own. I shut shop in 2 years & operated from home for 2 years. I had the energy to cook & cater for 100+ people too. However, it was financially difficult to operate. I shut down the cloud kitchen too. I got into Vegan Food Consultancy and Activism (The Save Movement).

I now work for The Save Movement ~ Health Save Chapter, called Pune Health Save, and share a lot of recipes, information and so much more. If you want us to do an outreach and vegan food tasting in your area in Pune, just DM us. We will make it happen.

To non-vegans I have this to say: I used to have eggs for breakfast, fish for lunch, and chicken for dinner. If I can go vegan, anyone can. Also, it's not a deprivation diet at all. Instead of dairy-based milk, you can have coconut milk, cashew milk, almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, hazelnut milk, mung milk, millet milk, sesame milk. I can go on 😁. Also, instead of eating the flesh of sheep and goat, there are a vast array of vegan meats, mushrooms, yams, jackfruits and so much more. Vegan butter, cheese, yoghourt, ghee, and ice cream are all now available at our fingertips. So, go vegan! You will enjoy it and we are here to help you. Besides, it will give you abundant energy. You will be blessed by the animals at large and the planet.

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The Vegan Journey of Ananya Jain | Vegan Beings India #065

 

Hello everyone! I am Ananya. I'm 15 years old and I love animals! Since childhood animals have been a major part of my life. I am an animal feeder, rescuer, and animal rights activist. I feed about 80 - 100 animals (mostly dogs) every day. 

Back then, I had just started using Instagram. Since I have always been keen on learning about animals, I used to scroll through animal-related pages. Suddenly, I landed upon a page where I saw how a cow is treated for me to have a glass of milk and other dairy products. I was just horribly shocked and did not know I was contributing to so much cruelty. As I scrolled more through the page, I got to know more about the cruelty that happens within the dairy industry. I wasn't able to admit the reality that as a vegetarian, I was contributing to animal cruelty. I was paying for those innocent animals to get tortured, abused, and slaughtered.

Hence, I went vegan in June 2020 after knowing this cruel reality of the dairy industry. To be honest, I feel my journey was a roller coaster. After knowing the cruel reality, I decided to go vegan but there was no one to guide me on how to go about things. I didn't know what plant-based milk was! So, it took me some days to research and know what I could use instead of dairy products. 

Today, I can proudly say that I have improved my athletic performance without killing or abusing animals. I have seen a drastic difference in my activity levels and my physical ability. I feel more strong & energetic.

When I told my parents about veganism, they didn't believe in it. I showed them everything and finally, a time came when my parents were supportive towards me being a vegan. But as I moved to talk to them about them transitioning to being a vegan... BOOM! I would get busted with so many myths, excuses and they argue with me. Then, I did not know how to answer them, but now I can have a debate with them.

I've come across a lot of people who hate animals for some reason. I don't know why! It's just that they are always behind hurting animals. While feeding specifically, many people come, oppose and mistreat stray animals such as dogs, puppies, or a cow! They would hit that innocent animal with a stick and that poor animal goes through a lot of pain. Please don't do that. They are too scared and traumatised. They just want some love and compassion. 

When I have no one with me, I have animals by my side who are always there to give you so much love, no matter what happens. And the fact is that in case you provide 1% love to them, they'll be there for life and provide 100% love back. And please step out for animals! Unless & until we don't, we are not going to make a change in the lives of animals.

I often have people saying to me "I can't be vegan because I love the taste of cheese, milk, or any other dairy products." I have one question for you all: How can you define anything above killing an animal & eating them? They are sentient beings just like you who can feel pain, suffering, misery. They are living beings just like you. 

"If your religion includes killing animals, It's not a religion. How can you justify killing an animal just for a religion?"

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR ANIMAL ABUSE.

Apart from the above things, I have always been interested in contributing my part to our Earth by participating in community services which include waste segregation, environmental conservation organisations, animal organisations, etc. I also am passionate about photography, sketching, cooking, trekking and fitness, writing, and business. I am still exploring. :)

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The Vegan Journey of Selvi Selvakumar | Vegan Beings India #064

I was always concerned about the cruel treatment meted out to other non-human animals. On my own, I had become a vegetarian from being a meat-eater, about five years ago. But I was not very happy about it because I thought that avoiding meat did not eliminate cruelty one bit. This happened a few times earlier too. I would become a vegetarian and then would revert. I was always researching humane ways to kill an animal, like maybe under anaesthesia? Anyways, I decided to stop eating meat five years ago. Eggs were on and off. Funnily, silk, leather, and honey were off for nearly two decades.

Then I came across this youtube post by Arvind Animal Activist. That made me go vegan and also become a vegan online activist overnight. Earlier, I used to write about the environment though my mind was on animal rights. I was always concerned about peer reaction and social stigma if I talked about animals and their rights. Then Arvind's video gave me clarity of mind. I realised that others like me were there. I am always grateful to social media for this support
.

After turning vegan, I got many negative reactions from friends and relatives. Some took it positively too. But as far as I am concerned this is one of the best decisions I took. I wish I had done it earlier.

Being an activist, I have printed pamphlets explaining cruelty to animals, and how to avoid this. Nowadays, I take them every time I step out of the house, talk for a minute or two to anyone whom I meet, and give it to them. I request them to read it and think about the content. I aim to make people think because our attitude towards animals is the basic reason for this callous behaviour. Once we stop seeing animals as commodities, the cruelty will change.

Most of us humans like to be just and fair in our dealings with others. So why are we not so towards animals? It is an age-old conditioning, and it remains on us to think about this. We need to accept the truth that they are just like us in all that matters. They have all the emotions of love, affection, mother-child bond, and grief on separation. Whenever we kill an animal or bird, it is not much different from killing a human being.

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Hello everyone! I’m Selvi Selvakumar. I’m an ophthalmologist who took early retirement chiefly to voice for animal rights. I love watching movies and reading books in my free time. I turned vegan in September 2020. Whenever I went out for street outreach people have always listened to me which was surprising. Then I realised that it could be because I am a senior citizen and a doctor. 

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The Vegan Journey of Vaibhavi Lonkar | Vegan Beings India #063

I have had cats since my birth. So, it was easy for me to connect with other animals. I always rejected when I was offered meat. I knew that meat is nothing but a dead animal who wanted to live. But unfortunately, I didn't know about dairy. I turned vegan overnight. The moment I got to know what happens inside the dairy industry, I decided. I was a heavy dairy and dairy products consumer, but trust me, going vegan was easy for me. I wake up every morning with a smile because I know that I am living my life without harming any sentient being.

I believe that we can easily live without harming any sentient being. Moreover, there are vegan alternatives for animal products out there. Then why choose cruelty? Are our taste buds more important than the life of an animal? Is it okay to artificially inseminate a cow, take her baby away and consume her milk? All this for 2 minutes of pleasure on our tongue? Animals have a right to live as much as we have. They're individuals, just like us.

Before the pandemic, I used to participate in vegan activism events but I wasn't able to do that during the lockdown. I learned how to cook during the lockdown. This combination made me start my blog, Vguide. It has blog posts related to recipes, activism, vegan food reviews, and general veganism. Here’s the link to Vguide. Also, I was a national coordinator for the Vegan India Movement campaign.

After going vegan, I started losing friends. However, I knew that the universe has some good plans for me. Gradually, I met like-minded people. I think that's the reason why I lost my old friends and found new ones who are way way better. I am glad I found such amazing people. We go for treks, movies, vegan activism, and potlucks together. We even visit shelters and spend time with animals. I wouldn't have been able to do this with other friends. Going vegan was a turning point in my life. I made friends all over India. Whenever I visit any city, I always have friends there. This sense of belongingness is very beautiful.

I felt better both physically and mentally. I felt mentally better because I started living a guilt-free and cruelty-free lifestyle and made like-minded friends. I felt physically better because a plant-based diet is one of the healthiest diets on this planet provided you don't eat vegan junk food. I used to fall ill thrice a year but it all stopped. Now I hardly fall ill.

Hello! I am Vaibhavi. I have completed my post-graduation in management and currently, I'm working as a digital marketer in a small start-up. I love sketching, painting and cooking when it comes to veganising non-vegan recipes. I run a blog named Vguide which has blog posts related to veganism. Apart from that, I volunteer for vegan outreach events, animal adoption camps, and animal rescues.

I've been a vegan for seven years.

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