I am often asked why the cow is considered holy to Hindus by so many of my non-Indian friends. Every time I try to explain , I end up with my own questions. The Hindu ethics are driven by the core concept of Ahimsa, non-violence towards all beings. Cattle is considered sacred in world religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism. Cow slaughter has been broadly opposed by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Zoroastrian, and Sikhs. Though not all Hindus follow Ahimsa, cows are still holy to them.
For the Indian Hindu, the cow has been Holy as far as the Chandogya Upanishad (~ 800 BCE). In ancient India cow veneration “probably originated from the pastoral Aryans” in the Vedic era. In rural India to a poor Indian farmer his cow was his wealth. She produces milk for his family and for him to sell. Gives birth to the male calf to plough his field and her dung was used as his fuel to light his kitchen fire and as a bonding agent to build his mud house. Like here in America, we fret if our pets fall sick – if a cow fell sick the farmer worried as it could ruin him if she died. Hindu Indians have worshiped their cows for centuries, fought for their cows, politicized cows. Modern movements dating back to the colonial era British India. The earliest such activism is traceable to Namdhari (Kooka) Sikhs of Punjab who opposed cow slaughter in the 1860s. The movement became popular in the 1880s and thereafter, attracting the support from the Arya Samaj founder Swami Dayananda Saraswati in the late 19th century, and from Mahatma Gandhi in the early 20th century. The reverence for the cow played a role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British. The cow protection was a symbol of animal rights and of non-violence against all life forms for Gandhi. Though cow protection movement gained broad support among many Indians it is opposed by Indian Muslims. In Modern India, this opposition is now being politicized, riots and hate crimes against Muslims. What am I getting at? Well vegetarian Indians have a point as ahimsa is their core ethics, the Muslims also have their point as they enjoy beef as rest of the western world.
Personally, being a Hindu Bengali I can not understand our holy cow philosophy where we enjoy our curried goat meat and fish so much. So why for us Holy Cow? Not Holy Goat, Sheep, Birds and Fish? Many Bengalis will say because of our worshiping Shakti. Maybe fish and birds are not as developed as mammals, take care of their young as long or as useful as the cow ? Maybe local rural economy and geographical terrain and rivers? Well, I do not know why this dichotomy exists in Bengalis.
What bothers me most is animal abuse in the farms whether in India, America, UK or New Zealand, whether it is cows, goat or sheep Specially the dairy farms are scary. The babies separated from the mothers, slaughter of male calves and kids in front of their mothers and siblings in some cases as they are the unnecessary byproduct for dairy farms. Like a selfish dairy consumer I wonder if there is way to have guiltless dairy, have more humane farms. Can humane sustainable small farms that exist today become mainstream? What is the price we are ready to pay for our milk? Cruelty? Becoming Vegan is a solution but what about the numerous farmers depending on the meat and dairy industry? They are already hurting. What about the animal rights? Maybe this complex issue has a simple elegant answer- or it’s a myth you cannot have your meat or milk and be humane too.
These sketches are of these beautiful creatures who give us food, strength, beauty, & happiness.
