It's becoming a routine ritual on the crowded, colorful streets of

Delhi, India: A small team of men surrounds a wandering cow,

attempting to coax it on to a waiting truck for a trip to a suburban
reserve. But the cow catchers need to be careful: To India's millions
of Hindus, the cow is a holy animal that cannot be harmed.

The tender treatment is just one example of our complicated
relationship with cows -- a historic partnership detailed by
NATURE's HOLY COW. From a source of meat and milk to a
provider of labor and religious inspiration, cows often play a central
role in modern life.

Few people, however, revere the cow like the world's 900 million
adherents of Hinduism. Since the faith first evolved near Asia's Indus
River more than 3,000 years ago, respect for animal life has been a
central theme in Hindu life. While many scholars say early Hindus
ate beef, most ultimately came to see the cow as a sacred animal to
be esteemed, not eaten. "If someone were to ask me what the most
important outward manifestation of Hinduism was, I would suggest
that it was the idea of cow protection," Mahatma Gandhi, India's
legendary nonviolent leader, once wrote.

Although Hindus follow no single set of rules, reverence for cows
can be found throughout the religion's major texts. Some trace the
cow's sacred status back to Lord Krishna, one of the faith's most
important figures. He is said to have appeared 5,000 years ago as a
cowherd, and is often described as bala-gopala, "the child who
protects the cows." Another of Krishna's holy names, Govinda,
means "one who brings satisfaction to the cows." Other scriptures
identify the cow as the "mother" of all civilization, its milk nurturing
the population.

Today, in heavily Hindu nations like India and Nepal, milk continues
to hold a central place in religious rituals. And in honor of their
exalted status, cows often roam free. Indeed, in some places, it is
considered good luck to give one a snack, a bit of bread, or fruit
before breakfast. On the other hand, a citizen can be sent to jail for
killing or injuring a cow.




Introduction


"Green" Beef
Catches On


Mad Cow Disease


Interview with a
cattle expert


Hinduism's Sacred
Animal


Slideshow


Links and books


Video


Download
Wallpaper





But as cities have grown more crowded,
cow-friendly policies have posed
problems. Delhi's 13 million residents, for
instance, share the streets with an
estimated 40,000 cows -- leading to some
complaints. One is that the grazing cows
spread trash as they rip open garbage bags
in search of tasty morsels. Another is that
they dangerously snarl traffic.

"What is the greatest traffic hazard in
Delhi today? Cows," Bibek Debroy, a
columnist for India's Financial Express, wrote in a pointed 2003
essay. "As our national animal, the tiger may be close to extinction.
But the cow is very much around and many soon become our new
national animal."

To solve the problem, Debroy offered one tongue-in-cheek solution.
"Let them have reflectors and, if not license plates, at least identity
cards. Only genuine Delhi cows should be eligible for social security
and other benefits."

City officials, meanwhile, have adopted a different approach: the cow
catchers. Under pressure to reduce cow populations, Delhi has hired
nearly 100 of the urban cowboys, who are charged with catching and
shipping cows outside the city limits, sometimes to special reserves
where the animals are cared for.

But the work isn't easy. And it can be downright dangerous. The
cows often sport sharp horns, and life on the street has made them
savvy and sometimes ornery. Some can recognize the sound of the
transport trucks and perform a kind of bovine ballet to avoid the
catchers. Still, city leaders say they won't give up until the vast
majority of the cows have been moved. Skeptics note that some of
the animals return to their home turfs within days of being moved.

Meanwhile, some of India's Hindu politicians are relying on cows to
bolster their support. They have proposed new cow-protection
ordinances, and vowed to ban butchers from Indian stores. Critics say
such proposals go too far, and would violate India's commitment to
religious tolerance -- and the nation's constitution. But if cows could
vote, they'd surely be in favor


The divine bull, Nandhi,
guards Hindu temples.