Reverance for the cow

We didn't see cows roaming the streets in all parts of India: Some parts had a lot, like the back-streets and alley-ways of Jaipur, other places like Mangalore had hardly any. Wherever we saw them, the cows were very gentle and serene looking. Maybe they are just used to being around a lot of people.

This cow which we saw on temple grounds was the only one in India I saw eating grass (Jemma is feeding her a flower in this picture but earlier she was grazing on the lawn.) The city ones lived on scraps like orange peels and paper. There were vendors selling freshly-made sugar cane juice and often there would be a cow on the scene eating the smashed canes.

Pleasant as they are, the cows are not pets: They give milk and dairy is a big part of Indian cuisine.