Civilization and Cow
Cows are the most sacred animals to the Hindus. Hindus believe that all Gods and Goddesses live inside a
Cow. Hindu worships cow as their mother. In the Rig Veda, the cows figure frequently as symbols
of wealth, and also in comparison with river goddesses.
The Harivamsha depicts Lord Krishna as a cowherd. He is often described as Bala Gopala, "the child who protects
the cows." Another of Krishna's names, Govinda, means "one who brings
satisfaction to the cows." Other scriptures identify the cow as the "mother" of all civilization, its milk nurturing the population. The
gift of a cow is applauded as the highest kind of gift.
Kamadhenu, the miraculous "cow of plenty" and the
"mother of cows" in Hindu mythology is believed to represent the generic sacred cow, regarded as the source of all
prosperity. Kamadhenu is the sacred cow who is regarded as the source of all prosperity in Hinduism. Kamadhenu is regarded as a form of Devi and regarded as Mother
Earth (Prithvi ). All the gods are believed to reside in her body. Her four legs are the scriptural Vedas, her horns are the triune gods Brahma (tip),
Lord Vishnu विष्णु) (middle) and Lord
Shiva (शिव) (base); her eyes are the sun and moon gods, her shoulders the fire-god Agni and the wind-god Vayu and her legs the Himalayas.
The Mahabharata (Adi Parva) records that Kamadhenu-Surabhi rose from the churning of the cosmic
ocean (Samudra manthan ) by the gods and demons to acquire Amrita (elixir of life).
According to the Puranas like Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana, Surabhi is described as the
daughter of Daksha and the wife of Kashyapa, as well as the mother of cows and buffaloes.
Cows the backbones of Indian families
Cows have been the backbones of Indian families and the Indian agricultural system ever since the
dawn of Hindu civilization. In the early days there was no artificial fertilizers, no chemical pesticides and insecticides. The entire Indian agriculture was
based on the nature's best fertilizer - Cow dung, and one of the nature's best pesticide - Cow's urine
and Neem were used extensively in the agriculture.
The milk of a cow is believed to promote Sattvic (purifying) qualities. The ghee (clarified
butter from the milk of a cow is used in ceremonies and in preparing religious food. Cow dung is used as fertilizer , as a fuel and as a disinfectant
in homes. Tests indicate that cow dung also contains Menthol, Phenol,
Indol, Ammonia, Formalin and its bacteriophages eradicate pathogens and
is hence a recognized disinfectant. Its urine is also used for religious rituals as well as medicinal purposes. The
supreme pacificator material, Panchagavya, was a mixture of five
products of the cow, namely milk, curds, ghee, urine and dung. The interdiction of the meat of the bounteous cow as food was regarded as
the first step to total vegetarianism.
The Cow was also venerated by Mahatma
Gandhi (महात्मा गांधी ). He said: "I worship it and I shall defend its
worship against the whole world," and that, "The central fact of Hinduism is cow protection. He regarded her
better than the earthly mother, and called her "the mother to millions of Indian mankind."
Cow in Ancient Egypt
The ancient Egyptians sacrificed animals, but not the cow because it was
sacred to goddess Hathor, and also due to the contemporary Greek myth of Io , who had the form of a cow.
In Egyptian mythology, Hesat was the manifestation of Hathor, the divine sky-cow, in earthly form. Like Hathor, she was seen
as the wife of Ra. In hieroglyphs she is depicted as a cow with a hat.
status of Cow in Mughal Empire
All successive Mughal Emperors had banned Cow Slaughter in their kingdoms. Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan who ruled the Mysore State in the present day Karnataka had made cow slaughter and
beef eating a punishable offence and the crime would be punished by cutting off the hands of the person who committed the crime!
Today in India we have over 36000 slaughterhouses!
The status of Cow in British period
Robert Clive the so called Founder of the British Empire in India
who was twice the Governor of Bengal too - on entering India was astonished and amazed to see that Cow was an integral part of a Hindu family as was any other
human member in the family. He decided, to break the backbone of agriculture in India - the
holy cows have to be targeted. He opened the first slaughterhouse of cows in India in 1760 with a capacity to kill 30,000 cows per day.
Till the year 1760 most of India had banned not only cow slaughter,
but also prostitution and drinking wine was banned as well. Robert Clive made all three legal and removed the ban.
The status of Cow after Independence
Both Mahathma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru had declared before Independence
that they would ban Cow slaughter in India after Independence. But the couldn't ban the Cow slaughter
after freedom due to vote bank.
Now, Cow slaughter is banned
in India except in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and the seven north eastern states Cows are routinely shipped to these states for slaughter, even though it is illegal to
transport cows for slaughter across provincial borders. However, many illegal private slaughterhouses also operate in big cities such as Chennai and
Mumbai. While there are approximately 3,600 slaughterhouses operating legally in India, there are estimated to
be over 30,000 illegal slaughterhouses. The efforts to close them down have so far been largely unsuccessful.
Anti-cow slaughter agitation in 1966
In 1966 anti-cow slaughter agitation by Hindu organisations demand a ban on the slaughter of
cows in India , as enshrined in the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Constitution of India . The Shankaracharya also fasted for the cause. The
agitation culminated in a massive demonstration outside Sansad Bhavan in New Delhi on 7 November 1966.
The Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi did not accept the demand for a ban on cow slaughtering. Instead police fired on the
rally, killing many Sadhus . The Home minister at that time Gulzarilal Nanda resigned, taking responsibility for the administration's failure to maintain law and order.
Nandi, the bull is associated
with Lord Shiva (शिव) and is said to be His vehicle.
Cows are hurt and killed every day by discarded plastic bags and
Plastic Bag Pollution in the country
MP Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention Bill gets Presidential nod
On January 3,
2012 President Pratibha Patil has granted her assent to
the long-pending Madhya Pradesh Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Bill which proposes seven-year imprisonment for cow
slaughter. The Gau-Vansh Vadh Pratishedh (Sanshodhan) Vidheyak has received the Presidential approval following which it has become an Act
and has subsequently been published in the extraordinary gazette, an
official release said today. In fulfillment of its commitment to protecting and conserving cow progeny, the state government had passed
the amendment bill in the state Assembly in 2010 to remove the flaws in the Madhya Pradesh Gauvansh Pratishedh Adhiniyam 2004 (Madhya Pradesh
Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention Regulation), the release said.
The amendment Act also obviated the difficulties and to make the provisions
more stringent. With the enforcement of the amended Act, now the responsibility of proving the prosecution wrong would lie with the
accused in case of cow slaughter. Similarly, a guilty of cow slaughter would be liable to imprisonment for seven years instead of present three
years and a minimum fine of Rs 5,000 which may be increased by the court. The amended Act provides that no person shall slaughter or cause
to be slaughtered or offered for slaughter of any cow progeny by any means. Besides, no person, including transporter, shall transport or
offer for transport or cause to be transported any cow progeny himself or by his agent, servant or by any other person acting in his behalf
within the state or outside the state for the purpose of its slaughter in contravention of the provisions of the Act or with the knowledge that
it will be or is likely to be slaughtered. (PTI)
Protest by PETA
PETA’s protest against the annual India International Leather Fair in Chennai comes in the wake of
the FIAPO conferenc e- most notoriously remembered for Maneka Gandhi’s jabs at animal welfare volunteers. Benazir
Suraiya, media projects coordinator, PETA, talks about the organisation’s ongoing fight against the leather trade, “India is the largest exporter of leather and Chennai
is one of the largest leather manufacturing cities in the country. Also, the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) is based in Chennai. India’s
minimal animal protection laws regarding transport and slaughter are blatantly ignored in the leather industry, and the CLE refuses to take
any action to prevent leather-selling businesses from obtaining hides and skins from unlicensed, illegal slaughterhouses.”
She also says, “Animals of all ages, including small calves, are illegally killed and used in the leather trade. PETA India has a case
pending before the Supreme Court of India. The court has publicly expressed its shock at the evidence of cruelty that PETA India has
PETA says that cows used for leather are forced to walk death marches to
the slaughterhouse covering hundreds of kilometres, with chillies being rubbed into their eyes or their tails to keep them moving. PETA also
alleges that since, it is illegal to kill healthy, young cattle, PETA claims that they are deliberately maimed.