This is a cultural force that is present in at least most cultural groups and persists because they meet several roles. Historically, religion is cited for declaring food fit for human consumption or otherwise. Furthermore, certain stages of the human development cycle along with the association of food types with special events may also influence taboos. In addition to helping the cohesion of the group, the Hindu culture observes a reverence of the cow out of spiritual concerns, to protect its agricultural resources and to preserve its energy-efficiency.
Even though it is not clear how the cow came to be a culturally revered symbol in India, many there detest the notion of slaughtering their cattle. Not only does historical evidence assert that early Hindus ate beef even in religious ceremonies, but that the prohibition on eating beef is a development of recent history. Specifically, the religious evolution to the present situation dates back at least 2 millennia ago such that by around 1000 A.D were prohibited from eating meat because of “Ahimsa”; Hindu belief in the unity of all life (Myers-Rochow, 2009). Furthermore, during the Islamic invasion, the Hindus might have used the spiritual affinity for the cow to distinguish themselves from their invaders who consumed beef. Similarly, the cow is a cultural symbol of health and abundance as evidenced by its portrayal in the mass media and artistic expressions (Myers-Rochow, 2009). Therefore, while the origins of Hindu spiritual association with the cow remain uncertain, not only is it a spiritual symbol, but the cow also fosters better cohesion and captures some of their hopes and aspirations.
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Among the Hindu, the cow helps in the effective utilization of the country’s agricultural resources. Fertile zebu cows produce male calves who grow to become the bulls that power the Indian agricultural system. After the monsoon rains, oxen are used to plough the land in preparation for planting and during harvest, oxen are used to separate grains from their stalks. Except for the cultivation of rice fields, oxen are the primary cultivation and transportation resource available to peasant Indian farmers. Because it is the cow that produces the oxen, the utility value of the latter makes the former extremely valuable. Furthermore, for Indian agriculture is highly rain-dependent, the demand for oxen peaks around the period of planting and land preparation (Myers-Rochow, 2009). This is disadvantageous for those farmers who do not own oxen as delays in preparation largely translate to lost productivity. Still, the loss or sale of any oxen or cow exposes these families to severe economic conditions because of the role these animals play in Indian agriculture. Hence, in addition to being a spiritual symbol in Hindu culture, the cow is also a vital agricultural resource.
Anthropological studies suggest that Indian cows contribute to the energy and fertilizer needs of the country, thereby saving on costs related to these needs (Lecture presentation notes, n.d.). In addition to ploughing and producing milk, these cows also produce dung that is used either as manure or cooking fuel. Approximately one billion tons of manure is produced annually and most of it is used as the preferred cooking fuel of Indian housewives because it helps them to prepare meals while also attending to other duties (Myers-Rochow, 2009). Once dried, dung burns cleanly, slowly and at low heat, making it advantageous for the housewives. Even without estimates, it is obvious that alternatives fuels would be costlier because most of the dung is freely available and the Indian climate readily dries it. Considering its population size alone, this use of dung to meet energy needs translates to massive foreign exchange savings. The same can be said for the use of dung as manure, therefore, cows help Indians meet most of the energy and fertilizer requirements locally. In so doing, they enable the country to make substantial foreign exchange savings by negating the need for importing the respective solutions.
As a cultural practice, eating food is an expression of unique ideas and beliefs. Likewise, the deliberate denial of food items for reasons other than food preferences or dislikes is an expression of cultural beliefs and practices (Lecture presentation notes, n.d.). Among the Hindu community, the cow has earned a revered status for several cultural reasons. Despite the lack of clarity surrounding the origin of such spiritual beliefs, “Ahimsa”, their belief in the unity of all living beings provides justification for this reverence. Furthermore, the historical evidence provides an instance where this spiritual belief was used as a tool to enhance cohesion and maintain its identity in the face of Islamist invaders. In the agricultural system, cows play the crucial role in giving birth to the bulls and oxen that power the Indian food production. Not only is this system highly dependent on the monsoon rains, but it also usually means that there are not enough oxen during the land preparation period. Hence, cows ensure a more efficient operation of the agricultural system. Further still, cows produce dung that Indians use as cooking fuel and manure. Because this means that they are using locally available resources, the country can make substantial foreign exchange savings. Evidently, there are cultural regions against the consumption of beef among the Hindu.
References
Lecture presentation notes. (n.d.). Cultural meanings of food & food taboos .
Myers-Rochow, B., V. (2009). Food taboos: their origins and purpose. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 5. Doi: 10.1186/1746-4269-5-18 .
