Cows are sacred in India for practicing Hindus. You will not find beef at the regular grocery store. The cow is said to be revered for many reasons, 1) it gives so much to the earth – takes so little (grass?), 2) all animals are reincarnated human souls, 3) the bull is depicted as Lord Shiva and 4) many of the cows products are necessary to make puja (prayer offering). Cow dung is also been known to be used for the bindy (the spot many people put between their eyes). More to come on the bindy...
Many people have the impression that cows walk around India – and you are right. It’s fairly typical to see a cow on the corner, just hanging out or laying down and it’s very common to see several cows together munching on some discarded trash along the streets. Who do these cows belong to? Every day I see them roaming the streets, perched on the corners, slowly trotting into oncoming traffic but always without owners. I have asked multiple people, “where are the owners? How do they get back at night?” No answers yet. We have decided that their jobs are to be a brake inspectors, especially when they are perched in the middle of a busy road.
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