Film about Volunteering in India
As a volunteer on Projects Abroad conservation programme, I never thought my experience would include painting not only one cow but two. Today was Pongal, where cows are thanked for the work they have done for people.
On the farm we have two cows, Bella & Daisy, who contribute to the vermicompost and Panchagavya (Nature Fertilizer) Pongal for them started with us
washing them with water; they did not look too amused by this. Their shed was cleaned out, washed and the door was decorated with a chain of flowers and sugarcane.
Lakshmi drew a coloured Kollam on the floor inside the shed and set up the Pongal fire and Pot. Offerings of coconut, bananas and other foods were made. When the water boiled over, rice was added. In the mean time some local children from Ullar village helped Durai bless Bella & Daisy with a mark on their forehead in yellow & red. They both also get a necklace of flowers to wear, although Bella preferred to eat hers rather than wear it!
The two volunteers Sander & Ailsa from the farm and then painted a horn each of Bella & Daisy in Yellow. When the Pongal was completed, with sugar added, the cows entered their shed and were blessed with incense. They were given some fresh Pongal rice to eat. Everyone who helped with the Pongal or who came to watch was given a generous helping of Pongal to eat.
Coming from England the cows in our country are bred for milk or meat. People have long since stopped remembering how they helped plough the
fields or pulled carts. Cows are not given a day where they are remembered. I am very glad to have had this experience and to have been encouraged by Madhan, the conservation supervisor, to join in and be hands on. The day involved lots of people from the village and was very enjoyable (I think Bella & Daisy love their Yellow horns!). I will suggest it to the farmers in England; hopefully it will catch on
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