Cow slaughter in India – How and when did it start
“The cow is my mother” (Mahabharata). Cows appear in numerous stories from the Puranas and Vedas. Lord Shree Krishna was brought up in a family of cowherders, and given the name Govinda (protector of the cows). Also Shiva is traditionally said to ride on the back of a bull named Nandi. In ancient rural India every household had a few cows which provided a constant supply of milk and a few bulls that helped as draft animals.
Observant Hindus, almost always abstain from beef, and the slaughter of cows is considered a heinous sin in mainstream Hinduism because Cows are considered to have played the central role in cultural, economical and religious field of India. The Indians have loved and respected cows since Vedic times giving it the reverence of being a mother. And it is also appropriate as no animal on the face of the planet can be considered pure so pure that its urine and dung too contains medicinal and healing properties, what to say of the milk and the milk products obtained from it.
The first ever slaughter house I reportedly have to be set up in India in 1760 by the governor general Lord Clive because when the British invaded and captured India they were highly astonished by the fact the cows are the backbone of Indian agriculture and if the cows persist in this country then the British should leave because the economy of India could not be maneuvered by any until the existence of Cows in India.
Thinking on this pattern Lord Clive set up the first and many more slaughterhouses across the country in which on crore cows got slaughtered annually.
Cow slaughter- the present scenario
Unfortunately the present situation is such that people in general themselves are supporting the slaughtering of cows as they do not find the ways to support their maintenance due to fast degradation of agricultural economy across the country. Another reason for this heinous practice is the lack of knowledge of the cow products and how these Panchgavya products could be used to maintain the holy cows.
What can be done to improve the situation?
If people especially the agriculturalist are made aware of manufacturing and usage of cow products then we can definitely reach a point where cow slaughter can be reduced if not completely eradicated. This website also gives an insight how cow products like Ghee, Ghanvati, Go-Ark and other cow product which are not only life saving medicines but also natural products that can help to save and conserve the cows in the future.