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Growing up, I always had an unexplainable affinity for cows. I became so emotionally attached to them, I gave up eating beef in 6th grade. When traveling in India in 2012, I learned about the “the holy cow” and was amazed to witness the Indian’s honor of the creature in contrast to the American culture of hot dogs, burgers & steak as staples of pleasure and identity. In India, seeing cattle, roaming freely in city streets and living on the sidewalks, intrigued and excited my spirit. There is something about how these creatures are both so strong and so serene that amazes me. And the fact that Indian culture, specifically Hindu India, reveres the cow in a religious sense resonates with me, and sparks my curiosity.
As a Rhetoric & Media studies major, I love to look at the nature of communication surrounding cultural phenomena, and as an Environmental Studies minor, I have learned the best way to do so is by situating research around a specific object. I recently found out the India is among the world’s top exporters in the beef industry. I also know that although India is majority Hindu, many other religions are present that do not revere the cow in the same way, such as Islam, which can call for cow scarifies. It is details like this that call in complication about the protection and use of cows in India, not to mention their environmental and spatial impact on an already overcrowded population. I want to research the Cow in India as an intersection point of religious, political, and scientific discourse. I’m sure as I begin to dive into the topic I will need to narrow down my focus on the cow towards a specific question, but I believe that researching this animal will illuminate deeper meaning into Indian culture, the intersectional world at large, and my own emotional connection to the creature.
Cows are all over India, abundantly. A quick google search confirmed that the cities I will be staying in (Varanasi, Chennai, and Delhi) all have cattle present. Even if I were to find myself in an area without cows though, they are such a part of the cultural awareness there, that I am sure I could find information and opinion about their role in India.
While in India, there are many different types of people I could interview to gain insight on the cow. As my research narrows, choosing which people will be easier. But generally I could speak to scholars to gain insight on any research already taking place over there. I could speak to Hindu figures, such as sadhus and other holy men, to better understand their reverence of the cow. I could interview people of other religions as well to compare their interactions. I could interview people of different socioeconomic statuses and professions to see their different opinions of and interactions with the animal. I could potentially interview someone in the beef or dairy industry, or a cattle rancher. There are many convergences.
My fieldwork can be done all over, because there are cows all over! Beyond interviews, my research can include taking photos of the cows that I spot, and analyzing the amount I see, their appearance, noting how people interact with them. I will keep my eyes out for newspaper articles and other forms of media that talk about the cow in any way. I’m sure that various temples and Hindu places of worship could provide insight into the cow as well. I could potentially find some sort of ceremony or puja honoring the cow. Because of its omnipresence in the culture, I am not worried about a lack of material– but instead will refine from the abundance to focus in on a more specific aspect of intersection.