In India, holy cows and bulls are held in high regard. The bull, or "Nandi," is revered as Lord Shiva’s Vahana, whereas the cow is regarded as Krishna’s best friend and a motherly figure by devotees and many Hindu believers. To abandon or ignore the sacred cows and bulls who serve as deities is a great misfortune. They are given shelter only while they are still helpful to their owners. Here comes the Gaushalas, aka Cow shelters, where these cattle are treated and cared for humanely. The Mahendra Garh, Haryana Gaushala is one of them; it was set up in 1899 and is the second largest Gaushala in Haryana after Rewari’s. Let us get some insights of this ancient place.
Tell us something about Gaushala’s self-sustainable model work.
Here cows are segregated into three categories (i) Milch cows (milk-producing cows), infertile cows, and Exotic cows (jersey). We also run a dung fertilizer plant, banquet hall, and rasgulla factory. Even after paying all the expenses, we make a profit of 1 lakh every month with the factory alone. Apart from that, we have rented our banquet hall for rupees 20 lakh annually. 5-6 lakhs are spent on its maintenance and rest is profit.
From where did this idea strike your mind?
Mr. Raut Sri Ram, who happens to be the caretaker of this Gaushala, and served 15 years before me, was once suggested by someone to set up a Banquet Hall here as this place resides on the main highway, which is an ideal location for this purpose. Moreover, our cows produce tons of milk that, even after supplying to dairies, we had abundant of. Initially, we contacted sweet sellers and tried to sell rasgullas, produced from the remaining milk. But we got so many complaints regarding the taste and quality of our sweets. But now our rasgullas are in huge demand that it runs out of supply.
How are the cows brought here in the Gaushala?
Some of the cows are born here, and a few who destroy the farms are left here by the villagers. Additionally, locals cooperate with us by sharing information regarding any injured cow. We send our vehicles to bring them here. First, we treat their injuries and then segregate them as per their category, i.e. milk producing, infertile or exotic.
How do you manage the regular expenses of the Gaushala?
The daily expense of this Gaushala is around 20,000, which is fulfilled by the rasgulla factory alone. We stock straws for 6 months all at once. Sometimes the villagers provide us with wheat and millet to feed the cows. Apart from that, we spent around 10,000 on the buffaloes’ upkeep. Besides cattle, more than 60 people work, eat, and are paid here. Lastly, our electricity bill and miscellaneous expenses such as machinery repair and maintenance cost us around 40,000-50,000. Our self-sustainable model manages all these expenses. However, sometimes our expenses outstand our income.
What about the government funds? Aren’t they enough to run the Gaushalas?
The Government provides us with fodder grants thrice a year. That is around 10- 12 lakhs.
"It is merely a drop in the ocean.
10-12 lakhs aren’t enough to even for a month, yet suppose we made it through it What about the rest of the 11 months"
We have to make seasonal arrangements for the cattle. For instance, in winter, we need to keep the shelter warm; in summer, we install fans and coolers to keep it cool. All these arrangements are possible because of local cooperation. We spread awareness regarding this social cause, and people come to support us by donating bricks, fodder, grains, vehicles, and so on. 99% of the Gaushalas sustain because of societal support; merely 1% of the total expenses are covered by government funds.
Are Gaushalas the best solution for the protection of abandoned cows?
Definitely, they are. However, they can’t be the best place for cows until the Government properly regulates the Gaushalas, increases their numbers, and provides more animal husbandry grants.
At present, cattle at Gaushalas are pushed out of capacity. For instance, our Gaushala has a capacity for a thousand cows, but if two thousand cows were kept here, they would lack space and fall sick; people may accuse us of not taking good care of them. In my opinion, there should be at least one Gaushala in every sub-division, which local authorities should manage.
Even after considering cows an important religious figure, why aren’t people concerned about them?
People aren’t at fault, but the Government is. When cows, especially the oxen, who neither produce milk nor are engaged in any other work, roam on busy roads and markets, hampering common citizens’ day-to-day activities. People can merely offer bread or fodder to them. But it’s the Government’s prime responsibility to shift them to Gaushalas/Nandishals.
Can you suggest some ways through which Gaushals become self-sustainable like yours?
Without public support, no Gaushala would run smoothly. Therefore, Gaushala management should participate in social events and interact with people to make them aware of their ideas and ultimately gain cooperation. Gaushala chiefs should be polite and friendly. They should also be capable of taking prompt decisions at times.
Conclusion
Cattle are critical to India’s agricultural economy because the country is primarily agricultural. They are domesticated bovine farm animals that provide milk, meat, hide, transportation, and much more. We should come together and create a better environment for these animals so they can live peacefully like us. Hope you liked the interview; for more such stories, stay connected with us.
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