Holy Cow ! Cattle-Big & Small Galore at Nehru Maidan for the 2-Day ‘Gomandala’ Event
Holy Cows! Cattle-Big & Small Galore at Nehru Maidan for the 2-Day ‘Gomandala’ Awareness Programme on Cattle to mark the 20th Anniversary of Govanithashraya Trust, Mangaluru on 7 and 8 December 2019. “SAVE COW & BE HAPPY!
Mangaluru: All you Beef Eaters and Cattle Traffickers, you better stay off Nehru Maidan on 7 and 8 December, because I bet you’ll feel guilty looking at all those cute and innocent faces of big and small cattle, which are so adorable to look at, but fall prey at the hands of cattle traffickers and butchers- and eventually their meat land on the plates of beef eaters. Indeed a sad story, of the life of a COW! But remember, “Save Cow and Be Happy!”
Cow (Cattle) was one of the first few species domesticated by humans (or evolving modern humans) after dogs and horses. Few civilizations like Aryans and Indian were so much dependent on cattle over a period of time that they started worshiping them like mother and Goddess. The designation of mother was given because of her ability to give milk which was suitable for human consumption. Milk and its products then became one of the base material for almost all Indian food and sweets, which we still have. Cattle dung as manure for agriculture systems. Before industrialization the main source of manure for agriculture was cattle dung, which was decomposed in specific ways by Indians and used in their fields. Still the modern concept of Organic farming promotes this way which was earlier used in all Indian subcontinent.
In order to bring awareness on Cattle, Govanithashraya Trust, Mangaluru-a unique Service Organization venturing in twin directions viz: protecting cows and women rehabilitation, and which is celebrating its 20th year in existence, and to mark this occasion is organizing this 2-day awareness programme named “GOMANDALA”, on 7 and 8 December 2019. Over 100 cows and their calves have already taken their place at a specially-created environment at the venue, where they are all ready to be petted by visitors and animal lovers. People will have a glimpse of an entire economy that revolves around these bovines. It should be noted that from 6-8 January 2012, the Trust had organised a very special event called ‘Gowmandala-Gowpooja,’ first of its kind, at Nehru Maidan, Mangaluru, where people had an very good opportunity to see hundreds of beautiful cows and calves.
Various activities that revolve cattle have been planned during the 2-day event. Sri Krishna Vesha contest for children below 12 amidst calves, cultural programmes, yoga, bhajans, practical demonstration on “Godhuli”and “Go Arati”are part of the events that religious heads such as D Veerendra Heggade and Sri Vidyaprasanna Thirta will attend.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean at Nehru Maidan this morning ( 7 December), P Ananthakrsihna Bhat, the Secretary of the Trust said, “It was on 21st April 2002, the auspicious day of Rama Navami, our Govanithashraya Trust has been launched. Since then this unique Service Organization is venturing in twin directions viz: protecting cows and women rehabilitation. Our sincere service activities are sprouting in a rural place called Beejaguri, which is 22 km away from the city of Mangaluru. This place is situated in Pajeer Village, Bantwal Taluk, in Dakshina Kannada. Cows are quite near and dear to us and are rightly deemed as very sacred due to their great utility. Our’s is a serene mission to protect them from slaughterhouses and preserve and improve their breeds. Our well furnished Goushalas, named Gowri, Ganga, Kapila & Amritha, are the happy home for over 300 cattle’s at present on a 10 acres land”.
“For Hindu community, cow is not just an animal but goddess, usually called as ‘gowmatha’ and people worship cows. However, sheltering a cow is considered as a non- profitable ‘business’. Our Trust is an exception. As the name suggests, the trust is a place for orphan ‘gow’ (cows) and ‘vanitha’ (women). The main intention of the trust is ‘gowrakshane (protecting cows) and gowsamvardhane (sheltering the animal). We give prominence to save our mother earth. Through this goshala, we can provide shelter to orphan cows. While we get milk, the earth becomes more fertile with cow-dung and cow urine. The average money being spent for of goushala per day is Rs 15-20K. To shelter over 300 plus cows, the trust needs as much as Rs 3-4 lakh per month. The trust is manufacturing some products like facepack, ‘dhoopa’ and some medicines out of milk, coconut, cow dung and cow urine. We get an reliable income per month, but it is negligible while we consider the total cost to run this place. But many donors and well-wishers contribute to our Trust” added Bhat.
