Cattle are venerated within the Hindu religion of India. According to Vedic scriptures they are to be treated with the same respect 'as one's mother'.
In Hinduism, the cow is a symbol of wealth, strength, abundance, selfless giving and a full Earthly life.
In Bangalore, we can see very often men and women who take along with them decorated cows and oxen and visit homes where believers touch the cattle for good luck.
The decorated ox is called Gangireddu(also known as basava), and its master is called Gangireddollu.
Gangireddollus are people of nomadic castes like "jangam" from the Andhra-Karnataka region who receive old oxen from farmers after the oxen become unfit for farming.
The gangireddollus walk from door to door begging for old used clothes. They play nadhaswaram (a trumpet like musical instrument) to entertain the people whose house they visit.
They visit houses where people would come out to offer food to the ox and take blessings as the oxen and cattle as a whole are regarded as holy.
The gangireddullus after receiving the oxen take out the metal shoes and sell them. They take care of the oxen until the death of the animal and then sell them to the Brahmins (priests) and Chamars (castes who tan animal skin).
It is, in my opinion, a very innovative and self sustaining idea to help protect and take care of unproductive cattle.
Goodness, these are fancy cows! While you know I've loved seeing all the cows roam, without restriction, along the highways & byways of India, I've never seen them in their Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes. I like the idea of treating them with the "same respect as one's mother.". I will NOT let this thought deter me from having a VERY rare steak my first night home.
ReplyDeleteCows for many Hindus are like the pets you have at home. They have a special bonding with the animal. Killing cows for meat can be gruesome for them just like killing a dog for meat can shock you.
DeleteDistasteful and inappropriate comment considering Hindu relationship with cow. Check your ego.
DeleteOh wow, they are fancy cows! I love the images, well done!
ReplyDeleteHello, I am just stopping back to say thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!
DeleteBeautiful pics
ReplyDeleteHow elegant!! Wonderful photos. Thank you
ReplyDeleteCows have always been a favorite animal of mine, and it's hard to beat that one! Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI knew cows were sacred in some parts of India but not that they should be treated as a mother. These ones are beautifully adorned. Shows a lot of creativity to me.
ReplyDeleteKamadhenu (Sanskrit: कामधेनु, [kaːmɐˈdʱeːnʊ], Kāmadhenu), also known as Surabhi (सुरभि, Surabhī), is a divine bovine-goddess described in Hinduism as Gou Mata, the mother of all cows. She is a miraculous "cow of plenty" who provides her owner whatever he desires and is often portrayed as the mother of other cattle. In iconography, she is generally depicted as a white cow with a female head and breasts, the wings of a bird, and the tail of a peafowl or as a white cow containing various deities within her body. All cows are venerated in Hinduism as the earthly embodiment of the Kamadhenu. As such, Kamadhenu is not worshipped independently as a goddess, and temples are not dedicated to her honor alone; rather, she is honored by the veneration of cows in general throughout the observant Hindu population.
DeleteBeautiful! knew cattle were sacred in some areas of the world, but I hadn't seen them decorated like this.
ReplyDeleteLove the colors!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots! I love the colour and that first photo is just gorgeous. - Tasha
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the elaborate head dress of the cow. I knew cows were venerated in the Hindu religion, but I'd never seen one dressed up. Happy OYGIF! #6
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interesting explanations and super images! Kudos!
ReplyDeleteHow incredible! I knew that cows were revered in the Hindu tradition but I didn't know about this. Beautiful! Yet another reason I love this link-up! I learn so much!
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining us for Photo Friday again this week!
Wow! Such detail
ReplyDeleteThe cows is beautiful adorned. I hope you have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteSo ornate!
ReplyDeletewon't see this every day !!
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I enjoy blogging, you learn so many new and interesting things.
ReplyDeleteAll dressed up and ready for the show!
ReplyDelete~
Nicely decorated! The colors are brilliant and bright - I love that.
ReplyDeleteAnother feature I liked were the brass bells!
Great find and lovely snaps!
Have a Beautiful Day!
Peace :)
Great snaps and nicely done
ReplyDeleteWow, what fabulously decorated cows. I really enjoyed seeing them and learning more about the holiness associated with them. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeleteJann
These are beautiful photos! Thanks so much for sharing these :)
ReplyDeleteThey look brilliant and colourful first time I have seen them like this :-)
ReplyDeleteVery VERY cool!
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up these delightful shots at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/08/bennett-place-bit-of-history.html
Great photographs, Shiju, from a beautifully decorated cow!
ReplyDeleteIf you meet Satish, Vipin, Panindra or some other colleagues of mine in Bangalore, present my best compliments to them!! ;-)
Regards from Germany, Uwe.
I bet that cow walks around thinking "I feel pretty, oh so pretty". Nice shots!
ReplyDeleteSo decorated and obviously well looked after cows.
ReplyDeleteThe animals look pretty thin, yet the decor makes them looks somehow healthy.
ReplyDeleteSo colourful
ReplyDeletebeautiful shots. details are great as well as the photo you took from above.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, ornate and colorful!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pics Shiju! So did you touch it? :)
ReplyDeleteVery nice serie, with beautiful colours. Well done!
ReplyDeleteFound you on 'ourworldtuesdaymeme' (my contribution: http://stapjesonderweg.blogspot.be/2015/08/music-is-my-first-love.html)
Enjoy life!
Greetings from Belgium, Hilde
Stunning piece! Thanks for linking with us at Oh My Hearstie Girls Wordless Wednesday this week.
ReplyDeleteYour exploration of the holy cows of Bangalore is a fascinating journey into the cultural and spiritual significance of these revered animals. The anecdotes and observations you share provide a unique perspective on the coexistence of urban life and sacred traditions. Your storytelling captivates readers, shedding light on the daily encounters with these gentle creatures. It's a beautiful blend of cultural insight and personal experience, making your blog an engaging window into the rich tapestry of Bangalore's traditions. Organic Farms In Chennai Thanks for sharing this enchanting glimpse into a unique aspect of the city's life!
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