Cows, cows, cows in India…everywhere

One of my favorite parts about going to India is spending time with the cows :). They are everywhere…smack dab in middle of traffic, grazing in open apartment courtyards, catching a nap on a street median and sticking heads through home fences to get a quick bite to eat :).

Why they roam wild & free

Many people wonder why cows are so sacred in India that they can roam wild and free. Well the answer in short is that they’re respected and revered for there generosity and divinity.

They are seen as generous because they provide two important sources of energy:

1. Pure nourishment in the form of milk, yogurt, butter and ghee (clarified butter).
2. And, clean fuel that does not pollute, but rather purifies the air through the form of their dung when it is burned.

And, they are considered holy because in the Hindu scriptures the say that over 33,000 divine energies run through their veins, therefore they are looked up as Gaumata, which is another name for the Divine Mother. To honor this divinity, as a daily practice many families put aside an offering from their daily home cooked meal, which they then offer to  the wandering neighborhood cow as a form of gratitude and offering to the divine before there own family eats. I’ve always loved this practice of tangible gratitude.

If you’re ever been around a cow you’ve probably experienced their gentle and loving disposition…which beautifully illustrates the main teaching of yoga, which is ahimsa (non-injury in thought, word or deed).

Here’s to all the lovely cows out there…may they always be happy, healthy and safe!

xo,
Kajal