Sorry, it has been so long (been a bit busy) and it is a bit long length wise. - I am trying to make them sorter but, as my father can attest, sometime it is hard to get me to stop talking (. . . it translates here as writing).
I know this is not the cow . . . it's a dog. However, seeing this on the streets of India is as common as a cow. Actually it is more common. There are several things that one becomes use to, more so when one lives in certain locations. Since I am one the edge of a large city seeing a cow on the road is more common than in the centre of Bangalore.
Everyone tends to know about the cow. In pictures of India one can see cows standing in the road, on trash piles (of which there are a plethora), laying besides parked cars or blocking roads. This generalisation (some times I just feel insulted that my American spelling is considered incorrect) that we have regarding cows is correct. They do have free roam and are seen as special to the religion of Hindu.
--- History Insert ---
Not being an expert in the smallest sense on this subject I shall impart the knowledge I have gathered through college classes, personal readings, and question asking. Here it goes. The cow in India has both religious and historical significance to the people which runs interlocking through the years. For the historical significance is the idea of the importance of the cow in providing food. When one has something that one relies on it takes up an importance within ones life. In a time when food was not a store stop away one had to rely on what produced the food to be near and an animal that gave multiple produce would be seen as important. The cow would provide dairy products, its urine (which I will talk about a bit later), and its dung to those who had them.
The first, dairy, is an important part of our diet. It would have been the main source of protein and calcium, good for the teeth and bones. The products that would have been made such as milk, yogurt (which cuts down the spice when used with such foods), buttermilk, paneer (homemade cheese), and ghee (clarified butter) were all considered highly nutritious. Milk also makes ice cream which puts the cow up a notch on my favourite animals list!
The second and third were used for other purposes. The urine of the cow was seen as a disinfectant within Indian households and used to clean up homes. You can google this for yourself, but there were some that saw the urine from a cow as a beneficial to drink. It developed as the cow was seen in relation to religion and its abilities regarding health increased accordingly. The other number that comes from the cow was also used.
Just like the pioneers traveling across the great plains using the dung of buffalo as fire fuel so to did the Indians (the actual ones, Columbus' mistake is quite irritating to me) use cow dung to fuel their fires. Unlike the Americas, there was not the large number of trees that could be used for fire woods within India. Also, the Indus civilisation has existed as one of the first civilisations in the world giving them much more time to deplete any trees that will grow as opposed to the N. Americas 500 years of white mans presence to deplete the forests. So, instead they turned to the use of cow dung for fuel. Because of this they were able to cook their food, which had the added benefit of killing any germs that may have resided within the ingredients. Is it just me or do these benefits just seem never ending? To a civilisation, the benefits of a cow that is alive for its products is better than a cow dead for meat. In western society we see this as well. Instead of sending a heifer to market she is breed and placed in a diary. Since they did not have such a place in early Indian society they were taken care of by smaller families or a village.
The bulls were also valued. In a world without tractors humans had to plant and harvest their field by hand. I sure the fun was indescribable. If I had to plant and harvest a field by my own two hand I would, without a doubt, starve that year. It would be too much work, but if I had a bull to pull a plough the task would move into the category of possible completion. Kill a bull eat for a month, not kill a bull eat for a year, so to speak. Bull were also better to use than a horse on the account of their sturdiness and toughness, also more common. I do not know if you have seen movies that take place before modern machines where someone used their bull to farm but that bull was a families livelihood. In Western Europe this was also the case. Sometimes families would share an animal between them to plough their fields. If this animal died it was tragedy and close to losing a important member of the family. It could lead to a very slim and difficult year.
In both cases it was much more important to keep the animal alive than eat it. Horses were similar in western society, they were so necessary for travel that one would not eat it for meat. It was ones vehicle before the Model T, one would not scrap their car to find parts for their washer nor would one kill their horse for meat. The idea was seen as very strange and became rather taboo. This thought process, drilled into our brains for hundreds of years, has not left in the 106 years since Ford's (I know I am probably giving him credit he does not quite deserve for those history buffs who may disagree) civilisation changing creation. If one hears that they are eating horse they may decide they have have suddenly become full or may need a trip the the loo. This idea is similar to how cows are viewed in Indian society. They were so necessary alive that they were not eaten for their meat. This thought process, over time, came to be seen as taboo as well. Making it doubly taboo is the fact that these animals came to be seen as pets for a family, they would make sure it was feed, taken care of and sheltered, similar to how we treat our dog, maybe without all the toys. One would not even think of killing their dog for food. Why would you kill your pet, similarly why would you kill your cow?
Religious significance was tied into the importance of the cow in daily life. It is relatable to the worship of the Hebrews in the Old Testament. When God asked for a sacrifice he did not ask someone to give something of none importance to him. He asked for the best of one's flock. The prime animal that would bring in good genes. When sheep were just as importance to a nomadic families livelihood as the cow was to early agricultural societies it was a big deal to give something that would have improved your families chances of survival in sacrifice. God did not ask something small of the patriarchs when he told them to choose the best of the flock, he was asking them to put their complete trust in him, believe that even when they were giving up something that would help in their survival they would survive. The fact that these men, who gave of the best they had still became such rich men would have seemed strange to those around them. An act that would appear as a lack of good common sense to a God that many around did not believe in would have been a laughable matter, but when they shall the wealth these men possessed it would cause one to think, if even a little, about the power of their God. The God of the Hebrews required blood but the Hindu just required sacrifice.
What better to give in sacrifice than products that are seen as vital to a good healthy life. In rituals, instead of giving a lamb they would give the products that the cow produced. Instead of eating of these food themselves they would give it in worship. They were not giving something lightly either, but something just as important to their lives as a lamb. Food from their very mouths. Instead of giving this food to their families they were giving it to their Deity. These rituals became as important to Hindu as the Hebrews sacrifice and because a part of daily life. The cow was now more important in that it now provided the necessary products for worship and was even more important in life than before.
Within the stories told of Hindu gods the cow was present. Of the Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are the most common and important. Each god has a vehicle that they are said to ride. The vehicle or vahana that Shiva rides is the bull Nandi.
-- Story Time --
The story goes once there was a man called Shilada who did not have children of his own and wanted to adopt. But not just any child would do, he wanted a child blessed by Lord Shiva, whom he had worshiped for many years. Shiva, touched by Shilada's devotion finally appeared before him,
'What boon do you seek, Shilada?'
'A child, I wish to have a child, Lord Shiva," Shailaja responded along with a bow.
Shiva smiled, 'You shall have it soon.' and then vanished.
Shilada returned home a very happy man, knowing that he was blessed by Shiva. The next day he went out to his plough to begin readying the field for seed and before his plough he found a beautiful boy child. Staring transfixed at the glowing child Shilada heard a voice from heaven, ' Shilada, take the child, bring him up well.'
Overjoyed Shilada returned home with the the boy child he named Nandi. From early childhood Nandi was as devoted to Lord Shiva as his father. He was brought up with love and taught the Vedas by Shilada. A fast learner and brilliant child Nandi made his father very proud.
Some years later two sages came to home of Shilada. They were welcomes and refreshed. Shilada turned to his son to help him make to two comfortable. The two sages stayed for the evening and when they declared it time to leave Shilada and Nandi prostrated themselves before the two sages. Both sages gave a blessing to Shilada, 'Have a long and happy life, Shilada. You have made us very happy!'
To Nandi they then turned and gave the blessing, 'Be well son! Be good to your parent and your teachers.' They exited the house right after bestowing it.
However all was not a it sounded. Shilada had seen the two sages faces when they blessed his son, and watched their expression change to one of happiness to a crestfallen sadness. Wondering what the cause was Shilada ran after the two men.
Catching up he questioned them. 'Is . . . is something wrong that caused you to be filled with sadness towards my son?'
Looking at Shilada with pity one sage softly replied, 'I cannot wish your son a long life . . .'
'What is going to happen to my son?'
'Your son . . .' the sage cleared his throat, ' Your son . . . does not have long to live. I am sorry . . .'
Upon hearing their news Shilada stood rooted to the spot even after the two left. Sadly he trudged home only to be meet by the questioning eyes of his son. Not wanting to keep this news from Nandi he slowly and painfully told the news of the sages. Instead of the scared boy he believed he would have to console his son was laughing.
'Why are you doing this?'
'Father, you are afraid of what the sages have sad . . . Have you not told me that you have seen Lord Shiva. Anyone who has seen him cannot be afraid." Seeing his fathers lack of understand at his explanation he continued, 'Father, if it appears to be my fate to die then Lord Shiva can reverse it. He is the most powerful of god and can to anything. Do you think he would let anything happen to us when we worship him so.'
Shilada looked at his son as if looking at him for the first time and slowly nodded his head.
'Bless me father.'
'I shall, be victorious my son,'
Nandi then went out to a near River to show is devotion to Shiva. He entered the river and began his penance. His devotion was so great and his concentration was so high that Lord Shiva appeared almost instantaneously.
'Open your eyes!' said the god tenderly.
Nandi opened his eyes to see a most beautiful person standing before him. He stared at his Lord Shiva wanting to savour his presence. Filled with completion he felt he has nothing more to ask thinking if only I could stay with the Lord always . . .
Shiva looked at him with eyes of love, 'Nandi, your penance was so powerful that it dragged me here immediately! Ask me anything, I will grant it to you!'
'Lord, I wish to be with you always' The words were out of Nandi's mouth before he could stop them.
Shiva smiled, 'Nandi I have just lost my bull, on which I used to travel, Henceforth Nandi, you shall have a face of a bull. You shall stay in my home at Kailash. You shall be the head of all my Ganas . . . You will be my companion, my vehicle and my friend, always!
Nandi closed his eyes as tears flowed. Shiva had granted him his very wish, to be ever with his Lord.
Since then Nandi became Shiva's vehicle, doorman, his companion and the head of all of Shiva's attendants - the Ganas. Thus by sheer devotion Nandi was not only able to overcome his fate, he rewrote it!
-- End Story Time --
This story is one of the reasons that the bull is held in such his regard. This relationship adds to the views mentioned above resulting in the bull being treated so highly that it should not be killed.
This is also how the cow is seen in Hindu religion. She is equated to the sacred principle of motherhood. With the way that the cow gives her milk, her calming nature she is symbolised as charity and generosity. It is this milk, as I expanded on earlier, that is seen as necessary for human nourishment. Kamadhenu is the the Hindu cow goddess. She is depicted as a white cow with a female head and breasts or as a white cow containing various deities within her body. She is described in the Vedic Scriptures (Hindu Scriptures) as the mother of all cows, a miraculous "cow of plenty" who provides her owner whatever he desires. It is said that she was produced by the gods at the churning of the cosmic ocean. Hence she is to grant all wishes and was termed the 'cow of plenty.'
--- End History Insert ---
The was a bit of background on why cows are able to roam around India. They are not to be treated harshly in any manner. I heard a funny story that took place just down the street a few weeks before I arrived. There was a problem at a bank and the police had to show up and take care of it. They ended up arresting people and were in a hurry to get back to the station. They were pushed people out of the way, rushed into their vehicles, and then were demanding that other vehicles give way to them. They were in this great rush to drive away only to get meters down the road and encounter a group of cows who decided that, at that very moment, they would take a stroll down that very road. The police had to stop, and make their way, quite slowly down the road until the cows decided the the side of the road looked better than the road. I found it quite hilarious, but it also show how cows are treated in this great year of 2015.
While people are to treat them with care, cows do not have the best of lives. They are usually milked in the morning then let loose to find food. In the evenings they return to their owners to be milked again. Also, if cows are in the way people will kindly give them a push of motivation and I have also seen people pick up some type of switch and hit the cow's side with it (I believe that is okay to do . . . ?). So yes, there are cows roaming the streets.The dogs on the other hand where a bit of a surprise.
When I arrived early in the morning we were driving through mostly empty streets. The only people around were young men on bikes or these wild dogs. They, the dogs, were in gang groups and some of them were just laying in the middle of the road. That night I could hear them barking before I fell asleep. I still listen to them barking at night, and these are not the dogs you can just open the door and holler 'shut up' to. I was talking to someone about the difference I have noticed between India and the United State and the dogs was one I brought up. They informed me that the city has been trying to cut back on their dog population through neutering and spaying them. They pick them up off the streets, complete the surgery, notch their ear, and let them go. All this in an effort to cut back on the population, without killing them outright. I guess it is working since I have not seen any puppies at all. Just dogs similar to the picture above. The gang that covers the block on which I stay has a rather sad looking dog that only possess three and a half legs, but he appears to be looked after by the other dogs.
It is actually quite funny, at this moment it is 10:00 at night, I am writing about dogs and I have not hear a single bark, they must know I am talking about them . . . still no barking.
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