When the concluding discussion was being held in the field office, the discussants got perturbed with loud crying sounds of a pig. When we rushed out, we were stunned to see that four youth in their twenties had grabbed a pig and grounded it. They tied the pig's legs first with ropes while it kept on crying loudly. Then they tied the pig's mouth and the loud crying stopped and the pig started groaning.

As they started plucking the hair of the helpless groaning pig with tweezers, we asked them why they were being cruel to the animal. They said that they were unemployed youth and by selling the pig hair, they earn a few hundred rupees for fifty grams of hair which are used for making paint and soft hair brushes. There is a market for it and until we find a job, it is our wherewithal, they said.

The pig hair brushes are expensive and are used by many painters for smooth strokes since pig hair can be frayed easily to make brushes long lasting. The joined hairs and bristles of pigs are used to make comb teeth and many models use such combs to dress their hair. They seemed to be well informed when they told that some culinary brushes are also made out of pig hair.

"No animal activists come to villages to raise voice against it. Since such brushes are part of the consumer market, we are able sell pig hair easily. Of course people get a bit disturbed for a few minutes till the mouth the pig gets secured and it is unable to cry. People in the village have got used it as they are used to killing of a goat or fowl for meat," they said while being at the job of plucking hair.

After hearing that we returned to the room to discuss the matter at hand and work out the recommendation for the project. My mind went back to some magazines that carry articles and appeals for vegan style of living and not to buy animal products. Some Muslim organisations are against the consumer articles made of pig parts due to religious reasons.