The veneration of cattle has a long history in India. Cows are frequently mentioned in the ancient Vedic literature (Hindu sacred texts composed in Sanskrit). The cow was one of the five sacrificial animals mentioned in the Veda. At that time the doctrine of non-harm or ahimsa still had not been adopted by the peoples of India and animals were killed and eaten as part of sacred rituals. Today it would be very unusual if not impossible for a Hindu farmer to kill a cow. They are domestic animals, venerated not only for their economic worth, as dairy animals, but also as links to divine creation; symbolising man’s connection to all other living creatures. Cows are also essential to agriculture; they provide both the fertiliser to grow crow the crops and the motive power with which to plough the land and bring in the harvest.

Fine cows have their horns gilded and are decorated with paint and garlands of flowers as marks of respect. They wonder freely around villages and in large cities have been known to cause chaos with the traffic. In some regions during festivals cows are dressed in elaborately embroidered cloth and wear ornamental harnesses of brass or bronze bells.