Do Hindus ensure that offering of food (gogras) is made only to cows ?

In the Hindu Dharma ‘gogras (offering food to the cow)’ is considered a meritorious act. Even today there are Hindus who do not eat a meal without offering it to the cow on the day of a festival or even on a daily basis. However they need to ensure that this is being fed only to a cow. In Mumbai outside many temples out of the cows kept for devotees to offer food to, with a fee, 99% are jersey cows. What we call a ‘jersey cow’ is actually an animal from Europe called ‘Halsten Friesian cattle’ resembling a cow giving it the name of ‘jersey cow’ in Bharat. Many Hindus do not know about this and those who do have no alternative but to accept it. Hence due to ignorance and helplessness Hindus offer food to this animal and get the pleasure of offering food to a cow. It must be noted that a Bharatiya cow and a jersey cow are as different as a horse and a donkey.

The Bharatiya cow is basically sattvik and calm. In fact even the sound of its mooing or sleeping is pleasant. On the contrary the mooing of the so-called jersey cow is very unpleasant. It sleeps stretching its legs like a pig. The milk of a Bharatiya cow is rich in protein. Also panchagavya prepared by mixing its milk, ghee, butter, dung and urine is medicinal. On the other hand the milk of the jersey cow is akin to poison as it induces illnesses such as asthma, heart disease etc. However as people are misinformed about this most people rear the jersey animal believing it to a cow, Remaining in the company of a Bharatiya cow allays anxiety about which research is being conducted abroad. In Bharat however the number of this precious Kamadhenu (full-filler of desires) is dwindling fast. The Congress Party failed to ban cow slaughter for the sake of appeasement of Muslims. The cow is not just the question of faith of Hindus, it is an indicator of prosperity of the nation !

Despite a legal ban on cow slaughter news about this abuse is common. In Gujarat to increase the number of Gir cows the Central Government plans to import seminal fluid from bulls of Bharatiya origin from Brazil. This programme started by the Bharatiya Janata Party Government is indeed praiseworthy. Efforts to preserve cows of Bharatiya origin need to be enhanced further but simultaneously a ban on cow slaughter needs to be imposed.

= Mr. Preetam Nachankar, Mumbai

Source : Dainik Sanatan Prabhat