Exploring the Symbolic Significance of Cows in India and Nepal

This essay delves into the profound symbolic significance of cows in both India and Nepal, highlighting their central role within Hinduism and the broader cultural landscape. It traces the historical roots of this reverence, linking it to the importance of dairy cows in ancient Indo-European pastoral communities and their continued presence in modern cities and towns. The essay examines the perception of cows as providers, the use of cow dung, the Hindu deity Kamadhenu, and their representation in the Vedas. It further explores the legal protections afforded to cows, particularly the ban on beef in India and the declaration of the cow as the national animal of Nepal. The essay also covers the various myths, rituals, and festivals associated with cows, as well as the practical aspects of their role in agriculture and daily life, including their contributions to food, medicine, and energy production. The essay concludes with a discussion of the challenges posed by urban environments to cow-friendly policies.

Running Head: SIGNIFICANCE OF COW IN INDIA ND NEPAL
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Sociology

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Symbolic significance of cow in India and Nepal
Cow plays an essential symbolic role in the Hinduism culture. It can easily be traced
back to the importance of dairy cows in India around 4,000 years ago in the Indo-European
pastoral communities. In recent time, cows are the continuous vision in the cities and towns
of India and Nepal. In India, 80.5 percent of the total population is of the Hindu culture,
where cows are protected. Besides this, whenever any person is hitting cows, they are likely
to attack or their car is burned.In India, cows are seen as nourished and provider. However, in
return it provides the dairy products that are essential part in the daily diet of human being.
Besides this, cow dung is also used for biogas as well as in playing the role in rituals.
“Kamadhenu” is a Hindu deity in form of cow. In India, it is a combination of Sanskrit word-
“Kama” and “Dhenu.” Kama means wish or desire whereas Dhenu means milk cow
(Gundimeda & Ashwin, 2018).In this way, Kamadhenu is the mother of every cow that
provides the butter, milk that is used in ceremony of religion. Cow is also represented in the
Vedas. It is an ancient religious in the Hinduism text, where it is acted in the Rig-Veda. In
India, it is treated as good fortune and expresses the hope for increasing the productivity in
the lives of community. Millions of Hindus worship the cows in India. For them cow is
consider as the sacred animal that provides the milk for life sustaining. It is viewed as the
caretaker of all the people. They treat the cow as “symbol of divine.” Hindus mostly focus
that the cow must be cared and protected. It is considered as sin for eating and killing the
cow. In recent time, slaughter of cow is treated illegal in many states of India. In the busy
streets of India, cows can be found roaming freely that states the importance of cow among
people of India (Cohn, 2017).Due to this reason also, beef is banned in India. In India, cow
provides yogurt, fresh, buttermilk, yogurt, and Paneer as highly nutritious thing. In the
practical aspect, it is considered as the blessing to rural community in India. In India, cow
dung is used as fuel that is high in methane and can help un generating electricity and heat.
Additionally, many homes in villages of India are plastered with the cow dung or mud. These
people believethat it will help in protecting the floors and walls from extreme cold as well as
hot temperature. The scientific research done for the symbolic significance of cow states that
ritual of burning ghee and cow dung as fuel for the holy fires assist in purifying the air
(Gittinger, 2017).
There are several myths associated with the sacred animals of India. Cow is treated as
the most sacred animal in the Hinduism culture of India. A legend has stated that cow was

SIGNIFICANCE OF COW IN INDIA ND NEPAL 2
emerged as ocean of milk during the time of samudramanthan. All the four legs of cows
symbolise as the four vedas, horns are symbolise as gods, face as moon or sun, shoulders as
god of fire (Khan, Manoj & Pramod, 2016).It is also being stated that a Brahma gave the life
to priest as well as to the cows at the same time. This was done so that priest could recite the
religious scripture on the other hand, cows can afford the ghee that is offered in rituals. From
this, it was clear that anyone who will kill the cows is deemed to go in hell (Jose, More,
Appoothy & Arun, 2017). During the Vedic period, cow was celebrated in India and treated
as a symbol of wealth. The purity of cow is also based on the economic reasons. Kamadhenu
that is also known as Surabhi is the mother of all cows as per Hinduism. This cow provides
whatever is being desired by the owner. When it is seen as iconography, it is depicted as the
white cow with breast and female head, tail of peafowl, wing of bird, as well as several
deities on the body. In the Hindu scriptures, the various accounts on the birth of Kamadhenu.
At various places, it is stated that Kamadhenu is emerged from the churning of Cosmic
Ocean. On the other hand, some narrates that it is the daughter of the creator god
“Daksha.”Recently, other scriptures states that Kamadhenu is in the possession of either
Vashista or Jamadagni (Acharya & Wilson, 2018). It plays the essential role of providing
milk products. It is also capable of producing the violent warriors in protecting him.
Kamadhenu is usually addressed by the name “Surabhi.” This word was originated from the
strange smell of cows. As per Indologist, Kamadhenu is the name of sacred cow that is
regarded as the prosperity among all Hinduism. In the form of Mother Earth, Kamadhenu is
usually regarded in India. It is believed that all the god resides in the Kamadhenu body. In
India, it is considered as Holy because they all are seen as earthly embodiment of
Kamadheny. It is an integral part of Hindus culture that grant desires and wishes. There are
several stories associated with the cows in India that seem to be interesting. Kamadhenu
exist with several names such as Sunanda, Nanda, Sumana, Surabhi and Susheela (Srivastava
et al, 2017).
In Ramayan of India, it is stated that Surabhi is the daughter of sage Krodhavasa and
Kashyapa, daughter of Daksha. As per the Matsya Purana, Surabhi is the mother of cow
Yogishwari and the orchestra of Brahma. In the Mahabharata, the cow Nandini is also known
as Kamadhenu. Sometimes, it is treated as synonymous with Kamadhenu. Indian people
considers cow as a 33 Crore Hindu Deities (SHAH & SHRESTHA, 2016). Due to this reason
only, it is taken as sacred in the Hindus. In addition, it is a symbol of piousness and
compassion. In the animal world, it is treated as essential and most pious animal. The belief

SIGNIFICANCE OF COW IN INDIA ND NEPAL 3
of Indian people is that one can attain the salvation if they worship the cow. In a report, it is
founded that cow is treated as most sanctified and sacred. The sacredness of cow is properly
expressed in the ancient Indian rishis. Cows are provided the high esteem in the Indian
society that clearly states the essential position of cow. Besides this, the exclusive days are
also fixed for worshipping the cow. Before the three days of Diwali festival, Bachvaras, a
festival came in which cows are worshipped by Indian people (Phillips, 2018).It is a day
when cows are being worshipped with Dhanwantri. On the last day of Shravan, called Pola,
when bulls are decorated and taken to the respective place where all people come and
worship cow. It is also perceived that whenever the calf drinks the milk of cow, it never
becomes impure. Almost all the Indian people follow all these myths. Just as fire, air, nectar
and gold never become impure, same as milk of cow whenever drunk by calf never become
impure. Indian agriculture also has variety. There is no such farm product that does not
cultivate by Indian people. The land of India grows pulses, gains, vegetables, cotton, flowers,
fruits, and silk. About half of the population of India is embracing the agriculture as
profession. For completing agriculture activities, cattle are seen as integral part (Rediff,
2019). When the farming is done in small scale, there is no better alternative than cattle.
Earthworms, green leaf manure, organic manure with the cattle manure makes the land
fertile. Besides this, there is myth that dung of one cow is equal to 5 acres of land. The urine
of cow also helps in protecting the 10 acres of crop from the insects (Anagol, 2017).
According to the supreme court of India, it has been stated that cow dung that is produced by
one oxen can assist the family for more than 4 years. Fertilizers are also made from cow dung
(Cohn, 2017).
It is one of the greatest natural resource. They only eat grass that grows in all parts of
the world. It also helps in generating the more power as compare to the generating plants of
India. Approx. 15 million bullock carts can move up to 15 million tons of goods. The largest
contribution of energy from bulls and cows is their dung. The importance of cows in India
can easily be seen from the culture of India. In the India mythology Vedas, it is stated that the
dung from cow differs from cow in all forms (Dhital, Shrestha, Kaphle & Pudasaini,
2018).Cows also put significant effect on the food. Not only in India but also in all the part of
World, milk products holds an essential part. In India and Nepal, people believes that while
nursing an infant, mother depends on the milk of cow for own nourishment. During the
pregnancy of mother, cow milk is seen as the essential component for nourishment. Various
popular beverages such as tea, coffee requires milk as significant beverage. It is true that

SIGNIFICANCE OF COW IN INDIA ND NEPAL 4
items that are made from the butter are unmatched. In the ancient system of medicine, cow
urine has a special place. It is mostly used to product the whole range of ayurvedic drugs.
Indian people also believes that when a cow dung is burned, it kill all the germs that are
presented in the air. Besides this, it also balances the temperature of atmosphere (Rediff,
2019).
A very good example of relationship of cow is tender treatment. It was the historical
partnership that was detailed in the Nature’s holy cow. Currently, in today’s Hindu nation
like Nepal and India, milk still holds a central position. Recently, in some places, it is good
luck on a bit of bread, snack or a fruit before the breakfast.Besides this, person can also be
sent in the jail for injuring or killing cow. In today’s time, cities are becoming more crowed
that is posing the problem for policies of cow-friendly. In most of the cities, people are
sharing the pictures of scattered cows (Saminathan et al, 2016).Due to the increasing garbage
on the road, cows are also consuming that and getting ill. For avoiding this problem,
government of India has also banned the plastic bags. City officials have also adopted the
different approach for reducing the population of cow. In many cities, they are hiring the
urban cowboys who all are charging to catch and ship those cows outside the limit of city. It
is done because many cows have more sharp horns that make them savvy as well as ornery
sometimes. Currently also, leaders of city are saying no to give up until the majority of cow
move outside the city (Schmidt et al, 2016).
In Nepal, cow was declared as the national animal. After some years of the political
wrangling, it has adopted the new constitution on Sunday. It is stated in the report that for the
Hindus, it has declared the cow as National Animal. Cows holds a significant position in
Nepal by protecting it through constitutions and banning the cow slaughter.It is stated that
slaughter cow in Nepal is illegal not only due to most of the population consist if Hindus but
also it is National animal of Nepal. For example- A couple was arrested in Nepal due to
slaughtering cow in Nepal. Both husband and wife were arrested by doing illegal thing in
Nepal. Besides this, a man who was included in the crime was also absconded (HT media
limited, 2018). It is founded that Nepal was the nation of Hindus, so it has considered the cow
as mother in Nepal community. It use cow dung and urine for purring the place as well as
free it from the diseases. Before doing any worship, it treat the dung as essential component
as much honeybee require flowers for making honey. For Nepal people, Cow is a mother for
the Hindu people and animal for others. On various occasions, Nepal people worship the cow
as god. In Nepal, Hindus believe that at the time of Tihar, goddess will visit the home if it is

SIGNIFICANCE OF COW IN INDIA ND NEPAL 5
clean, lit,By adopting or beautifully decorated. Tihar is Diwali festival in Nepal where people
worship and pray to cow. Nepalese Hindus firstly decorate and then worship the cow on the
third day of Tihar. Cows are treated as incarnation in the Hindu god, Lord Laxmi. In Nepal,
devotees decorate the cow with the flower garland of marigold as well as coloured powders.
At this time, it also offers the vegetables and fruits (Pierson, 2015). Farming of cow in Nepal
is an ancient system of farming that is still prevailing in many parts of Nepal. Recently,
commercial farming has been introduces in Nepal and has become popular among all the
farmers. It holds an essential place for the people of Nepal. It is a good source for generating
the income for Nepalese people (Mulmi, 2017).It is an agriculture country, therefore it has
various possibilities for dairy farming. IN Nepal, organic farming has established the
commercial farming by using the modern technologies, producing the organic dairy products
such as cheese, milk, and butter. It is strictly prohibited in Nepal to use the cattle and cow for
beef. For treating cow well in Nepal, people do the cow farming in mountain regions.
Mountain regions have large amount of grazing pasture as well as grass trees for feeding
cattle and cows. In order to start the cow farming in Nepal, it is essential to know about the
cow care, food, diseases, health, pasture, nutrition, breed and management of farm (Pierson,
2015).
It is founded that the government of Nepal has illegalise the selling of cattle for
slaughtering in the animal market. Despite of the predominance of Hindus, sacrifice of
animals has been in practice. Due to the national animal in Nepal, the new constitution has
strictly prohibited the cow slaughter. It is good news for the Hindu as Hindus see it as the
purity. This is the result of careful balancing act that is started by the modern Nepal. The first
law was started in the year 1805 against the cow slaughter. From this day only, killing of cow
was strictly prohibited in Nepal. By informing through the law, it has been stated that if
anyone will try to do the same, capital punishment will be done. Besides this, the district
officer can kill the killer of cow. The court by seeing the protection laws of Nepal, asking
India to declare the cow as national animal.

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