Feeding the Cows

Cows can be found on many crowded streets in India. Many of them are not owned by anyone, especially the ones that don't provide milk anymore. They feed on trash or piles of grass. Unfortunately they also shit all over the streets. There are also many pigs, dogs and donkeys. The cows enjoy a privileged status since they are holy in Hinduism.

In Jodhpur there is a large field in the middle of the city where cows go when they stop giving milk and their owners have abandoned them. People pay for cattle feed and go inside and feed the cows. I guess this is like feeding the pigeons in a square, except holier.

On our last night in Varanasi we were really stuffed and didn't want to finish dinner. But we have seen beggars everywhere in India and we didn't want to waste the food. We thought about giving it away to a hungry person, and I asked for the food to-go. I knew the waiter might not understand - in most countries we've been it's unorthodox to package up your food to go. The friendly, cheerful waiter gave us a strange, confused look. Uh oh, we thought. He's going to think we are uncultured Americans. He thought about it for a second, and then said "Oh! You want for to feed the cows!" He then cheerfully fulfilled our request.