Cow Sanctuary

November 2, 2014

The day begins with the arrival of our appointed hosts inspiring us to inquire, as guests do, "What's the day's plan?"

"Yes, yes," comes the answer, eager in tone and full of more promise than useable information. So off we go along the narrow lanes that are called roads, wide enough for one car but magically able to allow two large busses to pass in opposite directions.

Ninety minutes later we arrive at Pathmeda, the original gosala site and home of some 150,000 Indian cows, all pure bred stock.

We are joined by three busses of foreign visitors and devotees and soon come to realize we are part of a day-long official VIP tour.

Together we are given an historical overview (in Hindi) and then lead on a long walk around the perimeter of a 50-acre series of pens, each holding some 100 cows with feeding stations, salt licks and lime.

The group is so enthusiastically, chanting loudly "Gomata, Gopala" together as they bravely march (in full sari regalia) in the hot sand and sun.

We halt at the hospital where serious cases such as injuries, gun shot wounds, cancers and broken legs are tended to. There are three giant sheds in which hundreds of cow patients are being treated. They have a massive x-ray machine and operating table in the back and while we are there a cow ambulance arrives with an injured animal from somewhere (traffic accidents are common, they tell us). It's so grim that Yoginathaswami and I back out and find shelter under a lone neem tree.

The more courageous visitors stay in the sheds, sitting on the sand in their expensive saris, chanting or singing softly to the cows who seem to enjoy the attention. It is taught here that like a person, a cow will heal noticeably faster if it feels cared for and loved. Swami and I reflect that these are the most fortunate of hurt cows on the Earth.