Sacred Cows & Holy Crap of India

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Sacred cows and holy crap of India, what's this all about? The 'holy crap' part is a play on words but sacred cows of India shouldn't be messed with.

 

It's widely known that cows are sacred in Hinduism but did you ever wonder why? In the Hindu faith, cows are considered to be generously bountiful. They represent life as well as the Earth and are regarded as ever-giving providers and nurturers of all creatures. Hence, why cows are considered sacred.

 

In fact, killing a cow is a serious offense in India. Cow slaughter prevention laws have been implemented in several states to protect these sacred bovines. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has stated that the penalty for killing a cow is life imprisonment. Yes, you read that right.

 

A popular misconception is that cows are worshiped by Hindus but this is simply not the case. Hindus do, however, adore, honor and have great respect for cows which is why it is forbidden to kill and eat them in India. It's not uncommon to see cows adorned with flowers, bells and even decorated with colourful splashes of paint.

 

SACRED COWS & HOLY CRAP OF INDIA

Sacred Cows and Holy Crap

 

When visiting India, it does take some time getting used to not only seeing cows just about everywhere but also skillfully manoeuvering around them. Simply put - cows rule. They rule the narrow alleyways where there's barely enough space for one person let alone a cow. They rule the busy streets with cars (not so) carefully avoiding them. Cows are surprisingly very agile. Steep stairs are no match for a cow no matter how much it weighs.

 

Sacred Cows and Holy Crap
These cows were actually trying to get into this shop!

 

It might seem like the cows are wandering around freely but I was told that they all have owners. I was a little confused by this because most of the cows were rummaging through piles of garbage to feed themselves.I wondered why the owners didn't feed them enough to alleviate their hunger.

 

One of the big issues with cows roaming the streets is the cow dung. While trying to appreciate the surroundings, I also spent a lot of time actually looking at the ground trying to avoid puddles of holy crap. My vigilance paid off as I avoided stepping in any dung paddies.

 

Cows are generally docile but you might encounter an unhappy cow once in a while so be careful. I was almost rammed into by a mad cow in Varanasi. I had just enough time to find a safe space in the very narrow alley to avoid it. Needless to say, I feared those pesky cows after that incident.

 

That being said, I did find cows to be strangely photogenic. Taking pictures of sacred cows in unusual places became a favorite pastime of mine. Although, after nearly two months in India, I realized there was no unusual place for a sacred cow. Remember: Cows Rule.

 

Here are a few of the sacred cows I encountered during my travels in India.

 

Sacred Cows and Holy Crap

 

Sacred Cows and Holy Crap

 

Sacred cow in Rishikesh, India

 

Cow in alley in India

 

Sacred cow at a temple in India

 

What are your thoughts on the sacred cows of India? Do you have any interesting encounters to share? 

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Sacred Cows and Holy Crap


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12 Responses

  1. […] The choice to feature cows and elephants was based on the belief that these animals are considered highly sacred by Hindus.  […]

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