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ΓΙΑΝΚΑΜΑΡΗ ΕΝΟΣ
THE GREATNESS IN DONATING COWS
From times immemorial donating cows has been glorified in the Indian civilisation. In those days along with clothes and other things, a cow with a female calf used to be given away to a girl in her wedding, so that the couple could easily make a living. In festive times and after a death, a good breed of cow with a calf used to be donated in a ritual.
Giving away a cow in charity was considered very highly. When the female calf weaned away after ten months it would be given away in charity to some needy temple, goshala or a charitable trust. If the calf were to be male, any farmer would take away and nourish it into a strong bull.
In the erstwhile Hindu tradition, if a youth died a bachelor, then in the course of cremation rites a male and a female calf would be married according to traditions and gifted to the society.
Another tradition in southern India respects the importance of donating an Ox. The Ox gifted to a temple would be nurtured as a stud bull and the cows would benefit from it.
In the olden days in India, King Dasharath is said to have conducted a Putresthi Yagna (a sacrifice to fulfil the desire of bearing sons) as he was not blessed with any son. In the course of this Yagna, the King had gifted away one million cows. At the time of Rama's wedding, Dasharath reportedly gifted four lakh milch cows along with a bronze vessel for holding fresh milk.
