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Holy cow it is, for both Hindus and Muslims in Kutch

Muslims in Kutch district of Gujarat revere the cow like Hindus and refrain from eating beef or even sacrifice the animal for religious purposes.

The communal amity prevailing in the district can be seen from the number of pilgrims, both Hindus and Muslims, visiting the 'Kala Dungar' (black hillock) shrine. While the Hindus consider it to be the abode of Lord Dattatreya, the Muslims worship Peer Pachhmai.

There is a sound economic reason behind the love of both communities for the cow. The animal holds the key to the survival of the nomadic cattle breeders.

''The cow is our mother too, as it is for Hindus," says a prominent Muslim leader, Haalepatra Abdul Karim Junas, who himself is a 'Maldhari' (cattle breeder).

The feelings of Muslims towards the cow are so intense that they take great care about selecting the right stock for breeding, protecting the cattle from hostile elements like the scorching sun, rain and the inhospitable terrain of the Rann, Junas said.

The concern for the bovine extends to ensuring that the animals are ''fed and put to bed'' before even the children in the family partake dinner and go to sleep, Junas said.

The birth of a calf is celebrated with great fanfare and the death of a cow entails a period of mourning.

''We try to protect our cows from mosquitoes and are prepared to take any risk to ensure that they get enough water even before our children did,'' Ghafoor, another 'Maldhari' said.

Kutch boasts of some of the best species of cattle in the country. The milk production is so plentiful that at times it is cheaper than water in this arid district.

Dried milk, or mava, is available in Kutch at one-sixth of the price prevailing in Ahmedabad during Diwali.

The cattle breeders are so concerned about protecting the purity of the breed and to ensure that the best stock is always available in the district, that they refrain from selling the best cows and buffaloes even for high prices in markets like Bombay, Junas said.

Since grass is the least available and most expensive commodity in this district, the nomadic 'Maldharis' keep on shifting their ''village'' from place to place in search of water and fodder. Instead of driving their cattle with the help of sticks or whips, they prefer to let the cow lead them on to greener pastures.

UNI

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