Peetambaram Rajan, 56, of Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, passed away earlier this week following a severe illness.
However, despite the fact that there don’t seem to be many details about Rajan’s life online, the reactions of people he left behind indicate that it was filled with love.
Not just for people, either.
Rajan was well-known for his love of animals, according to the Tamil Mirror. He was apparently visited daily by a neighborhood gray langur, to which he would provide goodies.
But it seems that Rajan did more for her than just satisfy her hunger. He appeared to have affected her heart as well.
Rajan’s companion the monkey, whom he had made in life, joined his heartbroken family on Tuesday as they gathered to pay their last respects after his departure. She was also in grief.
It should not be surprising that the langur would be devastated to learn that Rajan had passed away given the mutually trusting relationship they shared.
Although there may at times seem to be a difference between humans and other animals, our experiences with love and grief are generally similar.
Animal behaviorist Dr. Mark Bekoff states in Psychology Today that “there is no doubt that many animals experience rich and deep emotions.” “The question of whether animal emotions have evolved is moot; the question is why they have evolved the way they have. We must always remember that our emotions are a gift from our animal ancestors. Both humans and other animals have emotions. One of the many emotions that animals express unmistakably and visibly is grief.”
